1 Administrative Issues, Course Review, Student sg- 005 Expectations and Small Groups
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File a formal written complaint (DA Form 7279) with any of the following agencies. Complaints must be filed within 60 days of incident. Complaints made after the 60 days may be pursued at commander’s discretion If Behavior Persists MEDICAL AGENCY MILITARY POLICE OR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL HOUSING REFERRAL OFFICE 3 days Complaints, except those filed with the I.G., must be acted upon in three calendar days. Complaints filed with an agency against a member of the chain of command will be referred to the next higher commander in the chain. All formal complaints will be reported within 3 calendar days to the first General Courts-martial Convening Authority (GCMCA) in the Chain of Command. Provide a progress report to the GCMCA authority 21 days after the date on which the investigation commenced and 14 days until completion. 3 days The commander or the investigating officer appointed by the commander has 14 calendar days to investigate the allegations. The commander will meet with the victim and the subject(s) to discuss the outcome and results. A 30 day extension may be granted from the next higher commander if circumstances require it. Further extensions can be approved only by the first General Officer in the chain of command. Complainants must be notified of extensions. The complainant and/or subject(s) of the complaint have seven calendar days to appeal to the next higher commander if he or she is dissatisfied with the investigation results or actions taken. The commander has 14 days to act on the appeal and provide written feedback on the results. Final decisions on complaints/appeals not resolved at brigade level rest with the General Courts-Martial Convening Authority. 30-45 days after final decision on the complaint (substantiated and unsubstantiated), an assessment is conducted by the Equal Opportunity Advisor to determine the effectiveness of any corrective actions taken and to detect and deter any incidents of reprisal. Reports and recommendations are submitted to commander on DA Form 7279-1 NLT 45 days following final decisions made on complaints. 3 days 14 days 7 days 30-45 days CHAPLAIN INSPECTOR GENERAL EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ADVISOR CHAIN OF COMMAND 
LESSON NUMBER: 22 TASK: Ethnic Observances STANDARD: 1. Define the purpose of conducting special/ethnic observances. 2. Explain how to organize a special/ethnic observances. 3. Explain how to plan a special/ethnic observances. 1. Special and ethnic observances are held annually in support of Joint Congressional Resolution, Presidential Proclamation, and Chief of Staff Directives. These activities are designed to develop an awareness of the various cultures that contribute to the American culture and are a portion of the Army’s ongoing equal opportunity education process. 2. Essential elements to sponsoring a successful special/ethnic observance. a. Leadership. b. Planning. If committees are formed, it is recommended the following minimum committees be established: (1) Ethnic observance scheduling committee. (Time table schedule) (2) Planning committee. (Agenda, estimated costs and guest speaker) (3) Finance committee. (Dollar amount available and areas to be funded) (4) Publicity committee. (Publicity programs) (5) Education committee. (Educational programs and subjects of presentation) (6) Luncheon/banquet subcommittee. (Reservations, menu and public address system). (7) Protocol subcommittee. (Speaker’s personal needs or requests) c. Funding. Lack of funding should not preclude an observance. Articles on the theme of the observance can be published in the post or installation newspaper and costs nothing. Regarding expenditure of funds, obtaining and dispensing of prizes, raffles/drawings and solicitations, the following applies: (1) Funding for ethnic food samples (not meals) is authorized by Para 6-20d, Chapter 6, AR 600-20. A request for blanket authorization to purchase the necessary food with an IMPAC credit card can be obtained from the installation Directorate of Contracting office. (2) IAW the Deputy Secretary of Defense Memo dated 3 April 2007 an honorarium is limited to $2,000.00. Also, invitational travel orders can be obtained for travel, per diem and lodging. If the speaker accepts the IMPAC credit card, you can also pay the speaker’s honorarium using the credit card. Otherwise, you will have to submit a DA Form 3953 through your budget office (Resource Manager) to the Directorate of Contracting and get a formal contract (for all expenses except travel, per diem, and lodging) drawn up to bring your guest speaker to a function. (3) Expenditure of appropriated funds in direct support of ethnic/special observations is permissible when authorized. (4) Units, agencies, organizations, and activities shall not provide funds or prizes for these activities (5) Solicitations for raffles/drawings, funds, and prizes are prohibited. 3. Elements that need to be considered in planning and conducting observances. a. Coordination Considerations: (1) Always keep the commander apprised and, if necessary, obtain the commanders approval of the observance plan. (2) Notify key personnel to compare calendar of events. This includes the G3/S3, public affairs, other committee members, guest speakers, and volunteers. (3) Ensure announcement of events are timely. This includes post/installation newspaper, bulletins, flyers, etc. (4) Obtain necessary funding. b. Execution Considerations. There are many types of events or activities that can be conducted in support of observances. They can be conducted separately or combined into the overall program. These are: (1) Guest Speakers. (2) Ethnic meals at the dinning facility. (3) Displays and artifacts. (4) Talent or fashion show. (5) Dance groups. (6) Essay and poster contests. (7) A film festival. (8) Designate a specific day for groups to wear ethnic attire. c. After-action. STUDENT HANDOUT #22-1 List of Special/Ethnic Observances Month: January Dates: 3d Monday Observance: Martin Luther King, Jr., Birthday Authority/comment: Public Law 98-144, Nov. 83 (Federal holiday) Month: February Dates: 1-28/29 Observance: African-American/Black History Month Authority/comment: First Presidential Proclamation, Feb. 76 Month: March Dates: 1-31 Observance: Women's History Month Authority/comment: Public Law 100-9, Mar 87 Month: April/May Dates: Sunday to Sunday for Week Incorporating Yom Hashoah Observance: "Days of Remembrance" for Victims of the Holocaust Authority/comment: Public Law 96-388, Oct. 80 Month: May Dates: 1-31 Observance: Asian Pacific Heritage Month Authority/comment: First Presidential Proclamation, May 91 Month: August Dates: 26 Observance: Women's Equality Day Authority/comment: First Presidential Proclamation, Aug. 73 Month: September/October Dates: 15 Sep. - 15 Oct. Observance: National Hispanic Heritage Month Authority/comment: Public Law 100-402, Aug. 88 Month: November Dates: 1-30 Observance: National Native American Indian Heritage Month Authority/comment: Public Law 102-188, Mar 92 Reading Assignment: 23 TASK: Women in the Military INTRODUCTION: This reading assignment will discuss women in the military. Women and their role in the military are an issue under seemingly constant discussion. Women, in one capacity or another, have participated in every conflict in the establishment and defense of our nation. Traditional attitudes and values towards women have slowly evolved into an attitude of acceptance and recognition, but there is still work to be done. As an Equal Opportunity Leader (EOL), it is important that you are aware of the contributions and sacrifices made by women in defense of our nation in order to further dispel the negative stereotypes about women in uniform. Included in this reading assignment are issues that will enable you to understand and help foster a positive equal opportunity climate within your unit. HISTORY OF WOMEN IN THE MILITARY: During the Revolutionary War, women often followed their husbands, sons, and brothers to battle. Some cooked, sewed, and washed clothes for the men. Some also worked as nurses. Although the Army would not enlist women, some served by disguising themselves as men; the exact number is unknown. From the Revolutionary War to the period when the military implemented the requirement to undergo a physical examination prior to enlistment, women have disguised themselves as men in order to serve in the military. For example, a lady named Lucy Brewer disguised herself as a man and fought on the Frigate Constitution during the War of 1812. Another lady named Loreta Velasquez, alias Harry T. Buford, disguised herself as a man and invested her personal fortune to raise troops during the Civil War and became an officer in the Confederate Army. It was not until W.W.I when the military implemented the physical examination that women were not able to disguise themselves as men. She led men into battle at Bull Run and several other campaigns. During the Civil War, if you had money, you could buy a commission and buy people to serve under you. During the Civil War it is estimated that about 400 women served in both Armies as Soldiers. Others, followed their husbands, sons, or fathers to the front lines. Some women worked as spies, messengers, and nurses. Some women disguised as men went undetected throughout the war. The first women’s component in the military was established by the Army in 1901. This component was the Army Nurse Corps. In 1908 the Navy Nurse Corps was authorized. Initially, the Navy Nurse Corps was comprised of only 20 White women. Black women were not admitted into nursing organizations at this time. Laws which set up the Nursing Corps did not designate its members as officers or enlisted and it was not resolved until 1947 when the Army Nurse Act authorized their permanent commission rank. When the Army Nurse Corps was first organized, nurses were in the auxiliary status, or reserve status and only activated in times of emergency. The demands of W.W.I made it necessary for the military to utilize women in areas other than nursing in order to release men for combat duty. It seemed that the same perspective used in assessing minorities into systems applied to women, e.g., reject in times of peace and recruit in times of emergency. Rejection meant sending the women back into reserve status. The Army and Navy Nurse Corps also grew in response to the war. There were approximately 22,000 Army nurses and 1,400 Navy nurses serving in the U.S. and overseas at this time. These nurses worked in what are known as Casualty Clearing Stations, Surgical Field Teams, Mobile Evacuation and Base Hospitals, and on hospital trains and transport ships where the fighting was taking place or in close proximity. With the exception of actual combat, these nurses fully participated in wartime duties. In 1918, Francis Elliott Davis was the first Black nurse admitted to the Red Cross Nursing Service. In December 1918, a flue epidemic caused a huge demand for nurses. As a result 18 Black nurses were finally appointed to the Army Nurse Corps approximately one month after Armistice Day. At the end of the war, demobilization of women was the rule. By July of 1919 the Navy, Marine and Coast Guard women reservists were transferred to an inactive status and eventually were all discharged. The number of Army and Navy nurses retained on duty was minimal. During W.W.II 360,000 women joined the military in response to the recruiting call, “Free a man to fight.” The first women’s group to be organized by Congress in May 1942 was the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAACs). They were hired under civilian contract with no military benefits. As the Army had no separate structure, many management difficulties were encountered. As a result, in 1943 Congress passed a Bill establishing the Women’s Army Corps (WACs) as a branch of the Army. This also forced the administration to reconsider policies and attitudes. Under the WAAC, the women were not entitled to the same pay, benefits for dependents, or military rank as their male counterparts. When the other services had established the women’s components as more than auxiliary branches, the WAACs started to resent it. To release male pilots for combat flying, the Army Air Force in August 1943 authorized a civilian Women Air Service Pilots (WASP) organization. Although under civil service, it was subject to a number of military procedures. The WASPs handled a variety of flying and aviation administrative duties. Approximately 1,000 WASPS flew 60 million miles on operational assignments in 77 different types of aircraft before the organization was deactivated in December 1944. They ferried aircraft, towed targets for practice with live ammunitions, flew reconnaissance missions, and in general performed all types of flying missions except direct combat missions. Repeated attempts to militarize this group failed. It was not until 1977 that Congress passed a bill giving the Department of Defense (DoD) authority to do so. There were thousands of WACs who served in the Army Air Force as administrative personnel. These women were predecessors of today’s Women in the Air Force (WAFs) which was established in 1948. Overall, the value of military women’s contribution to the war effort was well summed up in the words of Albert Speer, Hitler’s Weapons Production Chief, in a 1975 interview who said “How wise you were to bring your women into your military and into your labor force. Had we done that initially as you did, it could well have affected the whole course of the war. We would have found out, as you did, that women are equally effective and for some skills, superior to males.” After W.W.II the largest and most rapid demobilization in U.S. history occurred. Military strength was reduced from 12.1 million in 1945 to about 1.4 million in 1947. The strength of military women went from 360,000 to 14,000. In 1948 Congress passed The Women’s Armed Integration Act (WASIA). The purpose of WASIA was to determine the status women would have in the Armed Forces and how they would be accepted. The following are some of the provisions: a. Women under 18 years of age could not enlist and, if less than 21, were required to have consent of their parent or guardian. Men, on the other hand, could enlist with parental consent at the age of 17 and on their own after 18. b. Husbands of military women had to prove dependency. Wives of men did not. Women are automatically discharged upon pregnancy or if they acquired children under 18 years of age by either marriage or adoption. c. Enlisted women could not exceed two percent of the total enlisted strength. Female officers, excluding nurses, could not exceed 10 percent of the total enlisted female strength. d. Officers could not progress beyond 0-5 unless they were appointed to be Director of Women in their service. Then, they attained the grade of 0-6. If reassigned, women were reverted to the former lower grade. However, if they retired from the Director position, they were permitted to retire as an 0-6. e. Women could not serve in command positions, nor could they enter aviation training, ROTC, or military academies. Very few career fields were open to the female gender. However, they were allowed to work in the administrative and medical fields, too include supervisory positions of other women in the same career field. Combat restrictions for women varied amongst the services. Women’s role in combat was outlined in the law and modified in the U.S. code. The Army had no statutory provisions prohibiting combat. Successful lobbying by supporters of the Army structure as it was, with a separate and distinct WAC branch apart from the combat elements of the Army, convinced the Congress that no law was needed to prohibit women in the Army from being assigned to combat zones. The Secretary of the Army was given authority to assign troops as needed. When the Korean War started, the only women sent were nurses. The decade of the 1950’s was a status quo period for military women. Recruiting women was deemed of little importance because the draft was supplying the necessary manpower. At the peak of the Korean War, women in the Army numbered approximately 12,000, the Navy 8,000, the Air Force 13,000, and the Marine Corps 2,400. In 1951, the Secretary of Defense George C. Marshall appointed a committee called the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Service (DACOWITS) with the following charter: a. To advise him on all matters pertaining to women in the military. b. To interpret to the public the need for and the roles of women in the services and to promote public acceptance of the military as a career for women. DACOWITS is a civilian advisory committee comprised of prominent citizens with approximately 30 people serving three years of unpaid terms. Each member of the committee serves as an individual and not as a representative of the group. DACOWITS meets twice a year and has four separate executive committee meetings annually. Under pressures from the expanding role of women in the labor force and the large personnel drain of Vietnam, DoD established a task force in 1966 to reassess the role of women in the armed forces. The study group established the expansion that was to occur later. As a result of that study, the first change did not come until 1967 when Public Law 90-130 was passed. It allowed each of the services to set up its own number quotas, and struck down grade ceilings. Policies were changed in the following areas. a. The two percent ceiling was removed for women and they can now be appointed as generals and flag officers. b. Women can participate in ROTC programs and the military academies, including the Coast Guard. c. Women can serve aboard some Navy ships and all ships in the Coast Guard. d. Women can participate in aviation training in all services. e. Women can serve in all but direct combat-related MOSs. f. In the Navy, women cannot be assigned to duty in aircraft engaged in combat missions or to duty on vessels of the Navy except hospital ships and naval transport. The situation in the military during the Vietnam War was similar to the Korean War in that the women in the services were ready and anxious to go overseas with the fighting forces, but the services were reluctant to send them. Approximately 7,500 women served in Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines. Another approximately 600 to 700 Air Force women served in Southeast Asia. At the height of the Vietnam War in 1968, the strength of women in the Armed Forces reached 33,000, which was still under the two percent ceiling. Of the 7,500 women who served in Vietnam, most were Army, Air Force, and Navy nurses. As before, some heroic women gave their lives and hundreds received decorations for courageous and meritorious service by both the U. S. and Vietnam governments. The largest group of women to serve in Vietnam was nurses and they constituted another chapter in women’s heroism during the war. They were exposed to combat conditions and fighting forces. The nurses in Vietnam served in 18 hospitals, nine dispensaries, and naval ships. While most were in areas that were strongly defended, there were some close behind fighting troops, which treated casualties brought in by medics and helicopters. Even with the relative security of medical positions it did not keep all nurses from physical danger. In 1964, four nurses were awarded Purple Hearts for injuries sustained during a Viet Cong bombing of Saigon. Even though they were wounded themselves they provided first aid and assistance to others who were more seriously injured. On the Vietnam memorial in Washington, DC there are eight names of women. Typical of somewhat super human emotional and physical feats expected of these nurses was the expectations that they would not suffer any of the physical and emotional disorders that male veterans of the Vietnam era complained about. It took years before the Veteran’s Administration recognized that the women nurses who served would exhibit Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PYSD) symptoms. Even the Readjustment Counseling Program enacted in 1979 specifically to address these problems ignored women veterans who served in Vietnam. With the establishment of the Women’s Working Group under the Readjustment Counseling Program in 1982 attention was finally paid to special forms of stress and disturbances that war time experience had on the women who had been in Vietnam. Women counselors were assigned to outreach centers and sensitivity training given to staff so that centers can respond to emotional problems and other needs of the women Vietnam veterans. It was suggested that the performance of nurses in Vietnam as well as Korea and W.W.II, demonstrated the physical and emotional endurance of women under the most trying and dangerous circumstances. Women with little or no indoctrination in military thinking have shown their ability to not only accept military discipline, but also to create their own corps of compatible standards of military demeanor. While nurses were suffering and dying under combat conditions, the media image of wartime nurses created highly romanticized and sanitized realities. Even in the combat zone, women were expected to uphold the feminine image. The Pentagon’s official attitude was one of not employing women in any position that didn’t meet with society’s approval. A policy forbade WACs to be photographed on, near, or with weapons, and they received no training. One nurse, Monica Schwinn, was held for four years as a prisoner of war in the famed Hanoi Hilton. With the end of the draft in June 1973, and the charge to an all volunteer force, the services turned to women to help supply the needed volunteers. At the same time the Army initiated a major expansion of the WACs, which increased the strength from 12,072 women to 53,000 in 1978. A new personnel management system for officers was also inaugurated by the Army in July of 1974. This meant that WAC officers had to be assigned to the branch of their career specialty. The WAC branch, which consisted of WAC officers, essentially ceased to exist from that time. In October of 1978, under Public Law 95-485 the WAC Corps was officially eliminated. At this time women were on the road to integration with men in the services. In 1975 the separate promotion list for women officers was eliminated and women began competing with men. In 1976 the Army created a new source of women officers. Women now graduated from West Point. On 30 December, 1976 the Army deactivated the Officers School at Fort McClellan, AL. where the WAC officers had been trained since W.W.II. Weapons training for women was reactivated in 1975. Before then, for over ten years women received no weapons training, even if they wanted it. After 1 July, 1975 women had no choice but to take the weapons training. In 1977, women began taking the same basic training as men, although the training took place at separate camps. A year later in October, 1978 women were integrated with men into basic training. While the women and men had their own separate platoons, i.e., companies consisting of several platoons, became coed. There were other changes that took place. With the influx of women beginning in 1972, existing barracks could not accommodate the increased number of women. On the other hand the influx of men had decreased, so some barracks were half empty. So the unoccupied barracks were given to women instead of building new barracks. After a while it became a standard procedure to have men and women living in the same barracks, but in separate rooms. In 1989, during Operation Just Cause (Panama) Captain Linda Bray led 30 Soldiers to take control of a kennel for Panamanian Defense Force attack dogs. What was thought to be a routine mission became a three-hour infantry firefight. The mission was a success. In Desert Storm, the issue of women in combat was heightened even more than in W.W.II, as the advanced technology used in the war obscured the areas of combat and non-combat for the approximately 41,000 female troops who participated. MAJ Rhonda Cornum, a flight surgeon, and SPC Melissa Rathbun- Nealy, a truck driver, were taken prisoner of war. From December of 1996 through today in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia women are serving proudly in a variety of positions. Women military police officers are riding in convoys protruding from the turret with MARK 19, 40mm grenade launchers to protect the Soldiers and civilians, serving as intelligence analysts and interpreters, performing guard duty protecting base camps, and a variety of other positions. Congress eliminated the combat exclusion law in 1993. This law had been instituted by the Supreme Court in 1981 to forestall a test of the male-only draft. The Supreme Court stated the draft would be implemented solely for recruiting Soldiers for combat and women were prevented from serving in combat areas. Consequently, no cause existed to make women a part of the draft. With the repeal of the exclusion law, any draft registration could potentially include women. With the repeal of the laws prohibiting women from becoming combat pilots, Secretary of Defense, Les Aspin, directed the military services to initiate the training of women for these positions. In January 1994, additional “group combat jobs” were opened when the Pentagon eliminated the “risk rule” that had identified jobs too dangerous for women. Women are now only prevented from serving in units directly engaging the enemy in ground combat and areas with a high potential for direct engagement with the enemy. On October 1, 1994, the Army opened 32,000 ground jobs to women and 48,000 were opened in the Marine Corps. This decision opened 33 new fields in the Marine Corps but still barred women from infantry, armor, and field artillery units. Women can now be Cobra and Apache helicopter pilots but they cannot fly helicopters for special operations units or operate the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), a primary weapon system in the artillery. 91 percent of all Army career fields and 67 percent of all Army positions became open to women. Women are now authorized in 87 percent of the enlisted MOS’s, 97 percent of the warrant officer specialties, and 97 percent of the officer specialties. In 2008 Melissa Stockwell become the first American Iraq War vet to be chosen for the Paralympics and more recently, in November of 2008 Lieutenant General Ann E. Dunwoody, U.S. Army, becomes the first U.S. military female officer to be promoted to the rank of four-star general. Statistics from the U.S. Defense Department state that one in 10 U.S. Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are female. More women have fought and died in the Iraq war than any other war or conflict since WWII. Consequently, as a result of both job opportunity and women’s interest to serve in the Army, there has been a steady increase of females Soldiers joining the Army over the pas few years. The percentage of enlisted women serving in the active-duty Army increased from 10% in FY 85 to 14% in FY 05. There was, however an even more dramatic change noted in the Army Officer Corps. As of FY05, women represented 17% of the Army’s Commissioned Officers (compared to 11% in FY 85) and 8% of the warrant Officers (Compared to 2% in FY 85) CONTRIBUTIONS: (Here are just a few contributions that notable women have achieved in our military and country. We highly encourage you to enhance your awareness and unit training by conducting additional research into the achievements and contributions of women). 1. Lucy Brewer disguised herself as a man and fought on the Frigate Constitution during the War of 1812. 2. In 1865 Dr. Mary Walker, a surgeon in the Civil War, was awarded the nation's highest honor, Congressional Medal of Honor, by President Andrew Johnson. 3. Serving since 1972 Chief Warrant Officer 5 Jeanne Pace is one of the longest serving former WACs (Women’s Army Corps) still on active duty. In 1983 she became the first female active duty 420C (Army Bandmaster) in the Volunteer Army. 4. The Silver Star was presented to Army Specialist Monica Lin Brown by Vice President Richard B. Cheney at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan on Mar. 20, 2008.
Women in the Army (WITA) http://www.armyg1.army.mil/HR/wita/default.asp United States Army Women’s Foundation http://www.awfdn.org/pages/aboutus.html Women in History http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/index.html CLOSING: America was developed and built by people of different nationalities and backgrounds, many have made, and continue to make major contributions to our country and military, women are just one of these groups. Women are making their own contribution to America’s future. Women have made great progress and today are successful in business and in other professional trades. Without losing their identity, they have contributed greatly to our country and military. The role of women in the military has evolved along the same lines as the roles of other minority groups in the military. They served with distinction when the need arose and were disbanded in times of peace. The military has made strides to improve the issues of equality for women serving in the armed forces. Significant issues, such as women performing duties in combat related fields, remain to be answered. Since September 30, 2008 over 200,000 women currently are serving on active duty in the United States military. Women are achieving higher positions of authority and levels of responsibility that are commensurate to their rank and their male counter-part. As part of your responsibility as an EOL you must continue the training of Soldiers and leaders on overcoming the negative stereotypes of female Soldiers. As leaders, it is your responsibility to create and maintain the kind of organization where all can contribute their best without suffering discrimination and sexual harassment, which is what equal opportunity is about. It is also the right thing to do, morally and legally. Reading Assignment: 24 TASK: American Indian Experience INTRODUCTION: The American Indians of North America are a people of diverse culture and customs. Their legacy is a celebration of diversity and community among nations. A stellar example of an ethnic group whose cultural heritage, spiritual foundation and oneness with the environment offer the mainstream culture an excellent model for our future success. This reading assignment discusses the legacy of the American Indian. As an Equal Opportunity Leader (EOL), it is important that you are aware of the contributions and sacrifices made by American Indians. Included in this reading assignment are issues that will enable you to understand and help foster a positive equal opportunity climate within your unit. HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN: There is no one contemporary majority definition that establishes a person’s identity as an American Indian. The Bureau of Census states that “anybody who claims to be a Native American” is a Native American. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), which is the organization responsible for monitoring Indian affairs and issues, general definition to be a Native American, you must: a. Be 1/4-1/2 Native American blood at a minimum. b. Live on or near trust lands/reservations. c. Be on a tribal roll recognized by the federal government. d. Trace ancestry back three generations. e. Be approved by BIA officials. To receive BIA services they must meet all of these criteria. It puts the Native Americans in an awkward situation since they are being encouraged to move off the reservations and assimilate with mainstream society. On the other hand, if they don’t live on a reservation and meet all of these criteria they can not receive BIA services. There are 500 federally recognized tribes that fit no single description, based on their tribal individualism. Since the Indian language consists of 250 different dialects, communication across tribes is many times done using sign language. Likewise, there are differences in social structure and political structures amongst the various tribes. Today, the generally accepted scientific view is that the roots of Native Americans are located somewhere in Asia. They believe the migration occurred somewhere between 10 and 40 thousand years ago years as the Earth progressed through various periods of the last ice age in which the development of unimaginable Pleistocene glaciers caused the world’s oceans to drop over 300 feet. It was this drop in the level of the world’s oceans, which scientist believe allowed the Bering Land Bridge, which is now known as Alaska to appear. This passage between the two continents, coupled with temperate weather periods which caused the sea to slowly rise while melting the ice that had previously blocked the land routes, provided an avenue for the migrating people, animals, and plant life to reach the New World. However, this is only theory since Native Americans pass their history through word of mouth and most of the tribes are extinct. Archaeologists have confirmed the presence of people living in all parts of North and South America at least 12,000 years ago--longer than Egypt, Phoenicia, China., Israel, or any other nation identified in history. Eventually, the ice age came to an end and the glaciers began to recede, restoring the oceans to previous levels and once again covering the Bering Land Bridge. Once, in what would one day be called North America, these nomadic natives began to flourish, expand, and move south through the valleys and plains, following the animals they hunted for food and other necessities. Eventually these small bands of wanderers would inhabit a quarter of the world’s land surface. They would also develop sophisticated and diverse cultures that would extend from sea to sea and last for over a thousand generations. As the Europeans settled in America, fur trading progressed into the continent’s heartland involving more Native American nations and in 1670, the British established the Hudson’s Bay Company to compete with the French monopoly which existed in Canada. The tribes played the French and British against one another to get the highest prices for their furs. The Native Americans received payment in guns, powder, balls, hatchets, blankets, cloth, kettles, knives, mirrors, awls, beads, paints, combs, and other European manufactured goods, and this exchange caused a great change in their material culture. Many Native American nations generally found it more lucrative to trade with the white man rather than to pursue old economic activities. Some of the agricultural nations stopped planting and let their fields lie fallow and overrun with weeds, while hunting societies lost the rhythm of their lives. Traditional trade networks and practices were disrupted, jealousies and feuds were aroused, and the ability of tribes to control the behavior of their members was undermined by the diverting presence of the Europeans. The village, clan, and family cohesion diminished as individuals eager for economic gain and prestige, put personal goals ahead of the values and well being of the group. At the same time, bands and nations that once traded for mutual benefit were forced into cutthroat competition. Ancient tribal and personal spiritual values and sacred relationships with the land and animals also changed or were abandoned. The balance which had existed for thousands of years had been destroyed. The excess hunting caused an exhaustion of wildlife, which at times resulted in starvation for the Native Americans. Alcoholism became widespread as traders supplied large quantities of liquor to the braves, making it easier to swindle them out of their furs. Authority and traditions of the tribe, which had previously been maintained in the past by elders and clan relatives, spiritual leaders, or, sometimes, by public ridicule and shame, were no longer effective. The efficient and peaceful system of trade and commerce which had existed for thousands of years among the Native American nations had been completely destroyed by the mid-eighteenth century. It was replaced by a competitive European system which stripped away Native American culture and traditions leaving behind uprooted and stressed people who turned to violence in an attempt to survive. As the fur trade moved west it left behind an even worse legacy. Where there once was a land full of life, inhabited by proud, unbridled, and honorable people, there now remained only barren lands inhabited by a people who were no longer self-sufficient and without hope. Without a doubt, the uncontrolled expansion of the fur trade and the eventual disregard for established practices directly contributed to the decline of many North American Native American nations. By 1850, the population decreased to an estimated 250,000. The three primary causes of the decline: a. Foreign diseases: The Native American immune systems could not protect them from the foreign diseases, e.g., small pox. Many other Native Americans were given diseased blankets and clothing, so they would contract these diseases. b. Starvation: A military tactic of cutting off the Native Americans food supply was used. Animals and other sources of food were destroyed. Many of them were on the run so much, that when they got to an area where they could possibly get food, they had to move on again. c. Extermination: Many of them died from mass executions. The history books may refer to them as “Great Indian Battles,” however the Native American historians call them massacres. The Native American culture developed a value and belief system which differed significantly from those of the Europeans in some regards and yet was very similar in others. The Native American world recognizes the importance of relationships that exist between all living creatures and their environment. This belief is a central theme throughout Native American culture. This respect of life and land played an integral part in the development of Native American society and is still very important today. This idea of the “inter-relatedness of all things” is one of the foundational principles forming the essence of their world view. The Native Americans don’t seek to control the environment like European cultures, but to live in harmony with it. More importantly, because they believe everyone and everything is related, Native American cultures developed a deep respect for life. The Native Americans view the earth as sacred and a reflection of the people. They believe there is a relationship between living things in terms of human beings, how they interact and are linked to the animals, trees, plants and the rest of the universe. The earth is viewed as the geometrical figure of a circle and is “the circle of life.” The Native Americans view the circle as the one thing that binds all things together. The circle of life symbolizes a connection between all that exists and binds everything together. It is a very important figure. Rituals are still an integral part of the Native American lifestyle. They still serve to unite tribal communities and educate Native American youth on their heritage and beliefs. These two factors have enabled the Native American culture to survive through the millennia. It is also apparent that religion could have offered an opportunity for the Europeans and Native Americans to meet on common ground. There were several commonalties that existed between Native American and European religious practices. In the Native American community families are extremely important. The children in Native American families are socialized somewhat different from non-Native American children. The family serves as an instrument of accountability and responsibility, which included the entire community. Native Americans have very close kinship ties even in terms of extended families. Kinship is not limited just to the immediate family, but to the other families in the tribe as well. The elders are the most respected in the community and viewed as being wise. Traditional Native Americans feel it is an honor to be in the presence of the elders and they should be talked to and learned from. The elders teach how to act and not act, and their survival techniques. Historically the Native Americans have participated in all major conflicts. The following are only some of their contributions to the defense of our nation: a. 17,000 Native Americans registered for the military in W.W.I, but only 8,000 actually got inducted. b. At the beginning of W.W.II, there were 25,000 Native Americans in the military. Native Americans won 71 Air Medals, 51 silver Stars, 47 Bronze Stars, 34 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and two Medals of Honor during W.W.II. c. PFC Ira Hayes, a Pima Indian, was one of the men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima. d. The Marines used Navajo troops in signal units to send code in their own language. Theirs was the only code never deciphered by the enemy. e. 41,500 Native Americans served in Vietnam. f. To date, many American Indian warriors have lost their lives in Operation Iraqi Freedom to include the first American Indian service woman to die in combat, Lori Piestewa, of the Hopi Nation. The once controversial Phoenix landmark, Squaw Peak, was recently renamed Piestewa Peak in her honor. CONTRIBUTIONS: (Listed below are just a few contributions that notable American Indians have achieved in our military and country. We highly encourage you to enhance your awareness and unit training by conducting additional research into the achievements and contributions of American Indians). 1. Sergeant William Alchesay (U.S Army Indian Scouts) was awarded the nation's highest honor, Congressional Medal of Honor in 1872. 2. Ira Hayes, A veteran of World War II's Battle of Iwo Jima, Hayes was trained as a Paramarine in the United States Marine Corps (USMC), and became one of five Marines, immortalized in the iconic photograph of the flag raising on Iwo Jima on 23 February 1945. 3. Dr. Benjamin "Ben" Reifel, Lakota Sioux and a Republican United States Congressman from the First District of South Dakota 4. John Bennett Herrington made history as the first Native American in space 23 November, 2002. 5. Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs U.S Department of the Interior Larry Echo Hawk. RESOURCES: Indian Country Today http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/ Native American Times http://nativetimes.com National Museum of the American Indian http://www.nmai.si.edu Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) http://www.doi.gov/bia/index.html United South and Eastern Tribes Inc http://usetinc.org/Home.aspx CLOSING: This reading assignment discussed the American Indian and their contributions to our great nation. America was developed and built by people of different nationalities and backgrounds, many have made, and continue to make major contributions to our society and military, the American Indians are one such group. READ: As part of your responsibility as an EOL you must continue the training of Soldiers and leaders on overcoming the negative stereotypes of American Indians. As leaders, it is your responsibility to create and maintain the kind of organization where all can contribute their best without suffering discrimination and sexual harassment, which is what equal opportunity is about. It is also the right thing to do, morally and legally. Reading Assignment: 25 TASK: White-American Experience INTRODUCTION: This reading assignment focuses on the experiences of some of the major White immigrant groups who came to this country, and on the historic and cultural issues of White Americans. As an Equal Opportunity Leader (EOL), it is important that you are aware of the contributions and sacrifices made by White-American. Included in this reading assignment are issues that will enable you to understand and help foster a positive equal opportunity climate within your unit. HISTORY OF THE WHITE-AMERICANS: According to DoD Directive 1350.2 a White American (not of Hispanic origin) is a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or Middle East. In 1850, it was relatively simple to describe a White American. In all probability he or she was of Anglo-Saxon background and Protestant. However, after the Civil War, immigrants began coming from Southern and Central Europe. They were not Protestant, not Anglo-Saxon, and had different languages and cultures from those who preceded them. Although each of these groups have greatly assimilated into American life, each still maintains some of its uniqueness and has contributed much to White American society as we know it today. Therefore, it is next to impossible to describe a White American in the 1990’s. However, it is possible to highlight some of the experiences and contributions of major White ethnic groups who immigrated to this country. The list is by no means inclusive and is changing rapidly every day. In 1980, approximately 200 million White Americans could trace some of their ancestry back to the following groups (in descending size order): English, German, Irish, French, Italian, Scottish, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Czechoslovakian, Hungarian, Welsh, Danish, and Portuguese. The White American experience from its colonial beginnings is fairly short. It covers a period of approximately 400 years, a period that can be spanned by the overlapping lifetimes of a half-dozen individuals. Yet the roots of the White American experience go deep into the human past. These roots are traced mostly to the Old World, but not the New. Individuals who make-up the original White American people came to American from three areas of the world. They were: a. North Africa related to the Berbers: A Caucasian people, the Berbers are related in physical type to the Mediterranean subgroup of southern Europe. They form the base population of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. b. Northwestern Europe: Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland, and Wales. c. Southeastern Europe: Austria, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Spain, USSR, and Yugoslavia. An Anglo-Saxon and White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP) is a person of Caucasoid, northern European, largely Protestant stock whose members are held by some to constitute the most privileged and influential group in U.S. society. In the New World, they were usually the Landlord and their culture and values, with rare exception, were those that defined the culture. Their culture and values were normally based on: a. Handwork b. Perseverance c. Self-Reliance d. Puritanism e. Missionary spirit f. Abstract rule of law The White colonists prior to the Revolutionary War, though immigrants by one definition, did not consider themselves immigrants. Rather, approximate 78% of the English population conceived themselves as Founders, Settlers, and Planters. As the formative population of those colonial societies, theirs were the policy, the language, the pattern of work, settlement, and many of the mental habits to which the post-Revolutionary War “immigrants” would have to adjust. In 1607, the first permanent English settlement in America was established in Jamestown, Virginia. The Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620. In 1629, the Puritans came to Massachusetts Bay. Puritan settlers to the New England area differed from the inhabitants of other colonies. Nearly all other colonies were settled by men without education, driven by poverty or misconduct out of their homeland. Puritan settlers were British families with respectable social positions. They were educated and financially secure. They came to American so they could live according to their own principles and worship God in freedom. Canadian-Americans: The history of Canada is closely tied to that of the United States. The “Cajun” residents of Louisiana trace their roots back to French Catholic settlements in the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Run out by the English in 1775, they settled in Louisiana in places like Lafayette and New Orleans. With them they brought a unique French influence to the region. Over 4 million Canadians have immigrated to the United States since 1820. The peak for Canadian immigration to the United States was in the 1920’s when 920,000 Canadians crossed the border looking for a new way of life. In the 1960’s this number decreased to 413,000 and in the last decade, 100,000. Canada is made up of persons primarily of British (45%) or French (29%) descent. Since Canada is bilingual country, most Canadian immigrants, regardless of French background, assimilate easily into Americans communities. French-Americans: The influence upon American life is disproportionately greater than their actual numbers in the United States. French explores (e.g., Cartier, Champlain, Marquette, Joliet, LaSalle) were the first to discover areas in the heartland of America (e.g., the Mississippi River and all lands drained by it); the Great Lakes; the St. Lawrence River; Lake Champlain; Chicago, and Detroit. In 1562, the first group of French Protestants (Huguenots) came to America because of religious persecution and settled in South Carolina. The French fought alongside the colonists in the American Revolution; Rochambeau and Lafayette were great military minds. Dutch-Americans: In 1609, Henry Hudson set out to find a Northeast Passage to the East Indies and landed in which is now New York. The first Dutch settlement in American was in Fort Nassau, near Albany, New York. In 1621, the Dutch West Indies Company was formed. It promoted trade and settlement in America. The first group of permanent Dutch settlers came to America seeking religious freedom in America. The Patroonship System was established in 1629. Land plus ownership rights were given to anyone settling 50 people on their land within four years. To qualify as a patroon, a person had to be a major stockholder in the Dutch West Indies Company since its founding. Although six patronships were registered, only one was successfully settled. German-Americans: The first German immigrants to this country founded Germantown, Pennsylvania, in 1683. By 1766, one-third of Pennsylvania was inhabited by Germans. Most were poor farmers who settled along the frontier from Georgia to the New England colonies. The Pennsylvania Dutch were industrious and excellent farmers. They developed the Kentucky rifle and Conestoga wagon. Although many religious sects existed in Pennsylvania, there was a strong belief in religious tolerance and separation of church and state. John Peter Zenger established the concept of “Freedom of the Press. Von Steuben introduced a concept of military discipline during the Revolutionary War, which was instituted throughout the Army. During the firs half of the 19th century, German immigration exceeded all other migrations. Germans settled all over the country, especially in Rochester and Buffalo, New York; Cincinnati and Cleveland, Ohio, St. Louis, Missouri; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. German artisans and craft persons established businesses and help industrial expansion. German guilds marked the beginning of trade unions in this country. Irish-Americans: The first Irish person to come to America was William Ayers, who was one of Columbus crew. Francis Maguire was one of the original inhabitants of Jamestown in 1607. John Dunlap, an Irish-American in Philadelphia, printed the Declaration of Independence. During and after the potato blight in Ireland (1846-48), immigration to the United States increased. Italian-Americans: Italians were among the earliest explorers of the country-Christopher Columbus; Amerigo Vespecci (America was named after him); Verrazano missionaries Marcos de Niza and Eusebio Chino. Philip Mazzei, in 1773, established a plantation next to Thomas Jefferson’s in Virginia, where he introduced grapes and olives to America. He also aided the colonists during the Revolution. Italian immigration increased after the failing of a great political uprising in Italy in 1848. The peak of Italian immigration was reached during 1900-1920. The majority of Italians migrating to America were poor and settled in places like New England, the Great Lakes, Florida, and California. Most who could not get work in their specialties concentrated in the heavily urbanized states along the Northeast Seaboard coastline. Polish-Americans: Several Poles accompanied the British when they landed in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1608. They were experts and instructors in the manufacture of glass, pitch, tar, and other products England imported from Poland. They did so well that other Poles were invited to come. However, they were not allowed privileges equal to those of the English. As a result of this inequity, the Poles organized the first American popular assembly and labor walkout in 1619 in Jamestown. Many Polish helped in the fight for American independence. Middle-Eastern-Americans: Middle-Eastern-Americans are estimated to number 2.5 to 3.0 million in the United States. This ethnic group is not closely tracked in the U.S. census and the trail of their immigration to the United States is sketchy. Many Syrians and Lebanese who immigrated to the United States in the last century came under Turkish passports. Approximately 70 percent of Middle-eastern-Americans are Christian and 30 percent are Islamic. Although the number of Islamic-Americans is on the rise, the majority of the Middle-Eastern population in the U.S. is made up of Maronite and Melkite Christians of Lebanese descent. The first Lebanese immigrant to the United States on record was Anthony Bishallany in 1854. The first Arabic newspaper in the United States was founded in 1892 as Kawab Amerika (The Star of America). NOTE: The intent of the reading material listed below is to illustrate how perceptions and stereotypes developed in early America. As future EOL’s it is your responsibility to correct the inaccurate and biased perceptions listed here. The term racist doctrine today denotes prejudice and discrimination based on skin pigmentation and other physiological attributes. However, at the turn of the century, it was common practice to talk about the Italians race, the Jewish race, or the Polish race. Some of the prejudice thoughts and issues were: a. In 1911, the Federal Immigration Commission published a 42-volume report (the Dillingham Report) contrasting the old immigration with the new and making some startling conclusions. It stated the new immigration class is far less intelligent than the old; approximately one-third of all those over 16 years of age were found to be illiterate. b. In 1915 one of President Wilson’s progressive advisor’s described the non-Aryan newcomers as “low-brow, big-faced persons of obviously low mentality.” c. Madison Grant, chairman of the New York Zoological Society, wrote “a book which was the culmination of his racist thought.” Not bothering with Negroes or Oriental, Grant focused upon the lower order of Europeans who were inundating the country. He characterized the New Immigrants as “...a large and increasing number of the weak, the broken and the mentally crippled, of all races drawn from the lowest stratum of the Mediterranean basin and the Balkans, together with hordes of the wretches, submerged populations of the Polish ghettos.” d. During W.W.I, social scientists conducted studies revealing the inferiority of the new immigrants. On the basis of a study of American GIs, it was concluded that “northern Europeans scored almost as well as Native Whites, whereas soldiers born in Latin and Slavic countries average significantly lower.” e. One future study concluded, “The intellectual superiority of our Nordic group to the Alpine, Mediterranean, and Negro groups has been demonstrated.” f. Textbooks used in grade schools and colleges alike propounded the intellectual and moral superiority of the Anglo-Saxon race. Generations of American students were exposed to these theories which confirmed the widespread belief that the new immigrants were indeed inferior human beings.” Despite major changes in family behavior since times, the White-American family has remained a nuclear one. A constant theme of educational textbooks in America is national unity rather than diversity, culture, of ideals. Although the poverty rate for whites was lower than that for the other groups, the majority of poor persons in 1990 were White (66.5%). In 1989, there were 249 million Americans, 84 percent (209 million) of whom were White Projections of population growth in the United States through the year 2000 indicate that the White population will not grow as much as other segments of the population. According to the 2008 census bureau, Whites constitute the majority of the US population with 73.94% of the population and are regarded as the socially and demographically dominant racial group in the United States. CONTRIBUTIONS: (Listed below are just a few contributions that notable White-Americans have achieved in our military and country. We highly encourage you to enhance your awareness and unit training by conducting additional research into the achievements and contributions of White-Americans). 1. Canadian American Peter Jennings, television news anchor. 2. French American John Jay, first Chief Justice of the United States. 3. Dutch American President Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States. 4. German American General John Pershing, U.S Army. 5. Irish American Mayor Richard Daley, Chicago. RESOURCES: Center for the study of White American Culture http://www.euroamerican.org/ European American http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_American White People http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_people
These early communities cut off from their heritage and families, inevitably lost their Islamic identity as time went by. Immigration slowed during the period between W.W.I and W.W.II (1915 - 1945) due to immigration laws. The Arabs who immigrated to the US after 1945 were better educated then those who immigrants from previous years they were professionals and mainly of the Muslim faith who mostly came from Egypt, Iran and Palestine. This group was able to retain more of their culture than the earlier group. Those who arrived during the first group attempted to distant themselves from the Arab world by adopting western culture and language. In a traditional Arab-American family, gender and age plays a big role in defining family role responsibilities. The father is usually the head of the family and the provider for its needs, while the mother has the primary responsibility of raising the children and taking care of the house. In a traditional Arab-American family, gender and age plays a big role in defining family role responsibilities. The father is usually the head of the family and the provider for its needs, while the mother has the primary responsibility of raising the children and taking care of the house. This structure has not always been the norm. Historically, the father made major family decisions, but more recently both the father and the mother make some of these decisions jointly. Sons and daughters are taught to follow the inherited traditions and are given responsibilities that correspond with their age and gender. Sons are usually taught to be protectors of their sisters and to help the father with his duties inside and outside the house. Daughters are taught to be the source of love and emotional support in the family, as well as helping their mother to take care of household chores. Large families still exist, but in recent years the average size of the family has decreased due to rising cost and expenses associated with that of a large family. Although the parents have the responsibility of child raising, family members, relatives, friends and neighbors share in taking care of each others children. A known Arabian proverb, “He, who grows on something, will grow old with it” means the behavior that children are being taught will be the behavior they will have as they grow older. In public, Arab-Americans behave conservatively. The public display of affection between spouses is nonexistent. They believe in a private society and display of ones feelings is kept private. Arguments between spouses, friends, and people in general are also kept private or conducted in a way that guarantees no one else is aware of it. Since Arab culture is non-confrontational, a concept called “save face” is a way to solve conflicts and avoiding embarrassing or discomforting the parties involved. Saving someone’s face or dignity involves using maneuvers or holding one’s reactions to give the other party a way to exit the situation with minimal discomfort or harm to their dignity. The save face concept involves compromise, patience, and sometimes looking the other way to allow time to get back to normal. The “save face” concept is looked at as a behavior of high quality ethics and manners. The Arab culture encourages people to act humbly and with sensitivity to a person’s dignity, especially when that person’s dignity and self respect is endangered. Due to their value of privacy in Arab society, houses built in Arab countries are built with big solid walls that maintain privacy from street traffic and their neighbors. One of the most important considerations in building a house is the guarantee that the residents of the house can’t see their neighbors from any part of the house, thus ensuring the privacy of their neighbors. When an Arab visits a friend, the standing position next to the house or door should ensure that when the door is open they can’t see inside the house. Furthermore, they will not go inside until they are signaled to do so by their friend extending their right hand with the palm up and saying “come in”. When visiting a friend’s home, office, and are introduced to a female worker or relative, they do not greet the individual with a kiss. If the woman extends her hand, then they may shake. Otherwise greeting with only words is appropriate. It is considered an insult should you compliment another’s wife, sister, or daughter on their beauty. While visiting, should you explicitly admire a possession of an Arab he/she might feel obligated to offer it to you even if it is of special value to him/her. Admiring a possession of an Arab should not be prolonged. When an Arab receives gifts, it is a custom not to open it in front of the giver. The same is expected when an Arab gives another a gift. Many Arab women dress conservatively. Some dress in clothes that do not cover their face or hair, while others cover them. For example, a very conservative woman might wear a long black garment that covers her body from the shoulders down to her feet. Under this cover she could be wearing a traditional Arab dress in full body length with long sleeves and filled with beautiful beadwork, or she could be wearing the latest style from an internationally known designer. In addition to the dress, a very conservative woman would also wear a face and head cover. Some women wear the dress without the head and face cover, while others might wear a scarf that covers the hair, but not the face. Both men and women are expected to dress in a way, which is modest and dignified. Islam is not a new religion. Notably, A fifth of the world’s population view Islam as both a religion, and a complete way of life. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy, and forgiveness, and the majority have nothing to do with the extremely grave events which have come to be associated with their faith. It should be noted that the word Muslim and Moslem have the same meaning. The Arabic word “Islam” simply means “submission,” and derives from a word meaning “peace.” In a religious context it means complete submission to the will of God. “Allah” is the Arabic name for God, which is used by Arab Muslims and Christians alike. Islam may seem exotic or even extreme in the modern world. Perhaps this is because religion does not dominate everyday life in the West today, whereas Muslims have religion always uppermost in their minds. Islam and Christianity have the same origins. Together with Judaism, they go back to the prophet and patriarch Abraham and their three prophets who are directly descended from his sons Muhammad from the eldest, Ishmael, and Moses and Jesus from Isaac. The Islam faith is built upon Five Pillars and they are the framework of the Muslim life. The Five Pillars are: a. Faith - There is no god worthy of worship except God and Muhammad is His messenger. b. Prayer - obligatory prayers are performed five times a day, and are a direct link between the worshipper and God. The prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall. Although it is preferable to worship together in a mosque, a Muslim may pray anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories and universities. The five prayers contain verses from the Qur’an. c. The Zakat - One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to God, and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The word Zakat means purification and growth. Each Muslim calculates his or her own Zakat individually. For most purposes this involves the payment each year of two and a half percent of one’s capital. d. The Fast - Every year in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from first light until sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations. It is principally a method of self-purification. e. Pilgrimage - The annual pilgrimage to Makkah is an obligation only for those who are physically and financially able to perform it. The pilgrimage begins the twelfth month of the Islamic year, which is lunar, not solar, so the Ramadan and the pilgrimage fall sometimes in summer and sometimes in the winter. It is one function of Islamic law to protect the privileged status of minorities, and this is why non-Muslim places of worship have flourished all over the Islamic world. Islamic law also permits non-Muslim minorities to set up their own courts, which implement family laws drawn up by the minorities themselves. Although the rules of the Islamic faith may seem restrictive, both Arab men and women view it as protective. CONTRIBUTIONS: (Listed below are just a few contributions that notable Arab-Americans have achieved in our military and country. We highly encourage you to enhance your awareness and unit training by conducting additional research into the achievements and contributions of Arab-Americans). 1. Jacques Nasser, Former CEO Ford Motor Company. 2. Spencer Abraham, Former U.S. Secretary of Energy. 3. Casey Kasem, Radio and Television host/announcer. 4. General John Abizaid, U.S Army. 5. John Sununu, United States Senator. RESOURCES: Arab American Institute http://www.aaiusa.org/?ss=1 Arab American http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_American Arab Community Center http://www.accesscommunity.org/site/PageServer Arab American Anti Discrimination Committee http://www.adc.org/ CLOSING: This reading assignment discussed the Arab-American Experience and their contributions to our great nation. America was developed and built by people of different nationalities and backgrounds, many have made, and continue to make major contributions to our society and military, the Arab-Americans are one such group. As you have read the Arab American culture is detail oriented where ethics and social behavior, like generosity, respect, and caring, are not only definitions, but are translated into customs and social duties. Read: As part of your responsibility as an EOL you must continue the training of Soldiers and leaders on overcoming the negative stereotypes of Arab-Americans. As leaders, it is your responsibility to create and maintain the kind of organization where all can contribute their best without suffering discrimination and sexual harassment, which is what equal opportunity is about. It is also the right thing to do, morally and legally. Reading Assignment: 27 TASK: Hispanic-American Experience INTRODUCTION: This reading assignment focuses on the experiences of Hispanic Americans and the historic and cultural issues of this ethnic group. As an Equal Opportunity Leader (EOL), it is important that you are aware of the contributions and sacrifices made by Hispanic Americans. Included in this reading assignment are issues that will enable you to understand and help foster a positive equal opportunity climate within your unit. HISTORY OF HISPANIC AMERICANS: According to DoD Directive 1350.2, a Hispanic is a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, or Central or South America, or of other Spanish cultures, regardless of race. Hispanics are unlike any previous groups of immigrants, perhaps because so many do not consider themselves immigrants at all. They have been here for 450 years. The criteria used to identify Hispanics in the census consisted of asking persons if they were of Spanish or Hispanic origin. If they answered yes, they were then asked to identify themselves as Mexican, Mexican-American, Chicano, Puerto Rican, Cuban, or other Spanish/Hispanic origin. From their answers to census questions, we get a picture of the size and composition of the body of Hispanics in the U.S. today. Between 1 July 2005 and 1 July 2006 about one out every two people were Hispanic. There were 1.4 million Hispanics added during this period for an increase of 3.4% in the Hispanic population. By the year 2050 it is expected that the Hispanic American population will reach 102.6 million or 24% percent of the total U.S. population. Most Hispanics trace their roots back to Mexico (65 percent). The remaining approximately 35 percent trace their roots back to Central and South America, the Caribbean, and other Latino countries. Mexican Americans. The Mexican-American experience is different from the European experience in that many lived in the areas of Texas, New Mexico and California prior to them gaining statehood. These states were part of greater Mexico at one time. Manifest Destiny paved the way for annexation of Mexican territory. Manifest Destiny in U.S. history is the supposed inevitability of the continued territorial expansion of U.S. boundaries westward to the Pacific, and even beyond. The idea of Manifest Destiny was often used by American expansionists to justify U.S. annexation of Texas, Oregon, New Mexico and California and later U.S. involvement in Alaska and Hawaii. The Mexican-American war began when the United States annexed Texas and Mexico claimed it was an act of war. Texas was declared a state this same year. The Treaty of Guadeloupe-Hidalgo was signed between Mexico and the United States after the war. It slated half of the Mexican territory to the U.S. and gave landowners the right to be an American or Mexican citizen. English was declared the official language. The Mexicans in the territory had one year to decide to become citizens of the U.S., or they became an American citizen by default. Many Tejano families were forced to abandon their homes and flee to Mexico. Shortly thereafter the land grants the Tejanos had were not recognized. Puerto Ricans. Puerto Ricans became Americans by conquest. In the 1493 Spanish Colonization Juan Ponce de Leon and Christopher Columbus arrived on the island of Puerto Rico and established a colony. Puerto Rico was inhabited at that time by a branch of Arawak Indians known as Tainos. In 1898 The Treaty of Paris ended the Spanish-American war and the U.S. gained control of Puerto Rico. It did not make Puerto Ricans American citizens, but rather residents, which gave them limited rights. In 1917 The Jones Act granted Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship. However, the government of Puerto Rico would be run by non-Puerto Rican Americans. They were the only Hispanic group that was not subject to U.S. immigration laws. Many individuals came to the U.S. in order to earn a better living and planned to move back at a later time. One of the major obstacles for them joining the military is that many of them did not speak English. In 1952 Puerto Rico was granted Commonwealth status and the right to elect their own governing officials and have its own constitution and government. Although it is a Commonwealth of the U.S. and Puerto Ricans are considered U.S. citizens they still are not allowed to vote in U.S. Presidential elections. Cuban Americans. Cuban-Americans are concentrated mostly in Miami metropolitan areas and in central Florida. They mainly arrived during two specific periods: a. 1959: As the result of the Communist takeover in 1959 approximately 925,000 Cuban refugees have been admitted to the United States. The first wave settled in Miami area and was extremely wealthy and educated. They could not return to their homeland. b. 1980: The Mariel Boatlift. The Mariel Cuban Boatlift officially began April 15, 1980 and ended October 31, 1980, with the arrival of over 125,000 Cubans to Southern Florida from Port of Mariel, Cuba. El Salvadorians, Guatemalans, and Nicaraguans. Many came to the U.S. to seek political asylum due to political strife and to escape extreme poverty. South Americans. The South Americans immigrated to U.S. in smaller numbers than other Hispanic groups. The reasons for immigration were for better economic conditions and most were wealthy professionals. To identify Hispanics you have to consider the following variables that divide the Hispanic population: a. Race. Hispanics can be classified into any race category from white to black. b. Language. Some Hispanics only speak English, some only speak Spanish, and others are bilingual. c. Time of arrival into what is now the U.S. The relationship between some Hispanics depends on their arrival to the U.S., e.g., 1st, 2nd and 3rd generations. In some cases 1st generation Hispanics may resent the immigration of other Hispanics. d. National Origin. Many do not relate to the term Hispanic. They relate to the area where they are from, e.g., Puerto Rican, Mexican, Cuban, etc. The term Hispanic refers to approximately 30 different nationalities. Many Hispanic families feel family traditions are more important than accomplishments. Hispanics have several types of families. They have extended families which include grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and close friendships; nuclear families, which include Mom, Dad, and children; families consisting of the father, mother, children and other children of the mother and father from previous unions; and Mother-Based families. Hispanics can be classified as family-oriented. They tend to be patriarchal (male dominated). Roles within the family are assigned on the basis of gender and position. Older members of the family carry a great deal of authority. Usually the mother’s role is to discipline the children while the father’s role is to be responsible for establishing the standards of behavior. Children’s role varies with gender and age. The oldest female takes care of the youngest; oldest male does the same, and takes the role of parents if parents pass away. Grandparents or elders are highly respected. Throughout our history, ethnic and racial groups have immigrated, voluntarily or involuntarily, in waves, and within limited time periods. They entered into the existing communities and over a period of two or three generations assimilated themselves into the population as a whole. This has not been the case with Hispanics. Whether crossing the Mexican border or arriving by boat or plane from Cuba, Puerto Rico, or Latin America, Hispanic immigration has been constant and will probably continue to be so. This influx of new immigrants provides for a constant renewal of cultural ties and language skills, a factor which other traditional ethnic groups did not experience. It thus allows Hispanics to maintain and reinforce their rich, diverse heritage and language even while becoming members of American society. CONTRIBUTIONS: (Listed below are just a few contributions that notable Hispanic-Americans have achieved in our military and country. We highly encourage you to enhance your awareness and unit training by conducting additional research into the achievements and contributions of Hispanic Americans). 1. Nydia Velazquez, first Puerto Rican woman to serve in the House of Representatives. 2. Robert Menendez, New Jersey Congressman who is the first Cuban-American to serve in the House and first Cuban representative from the state of New Jersey. 3. Bert Corona, Mexican-American Political Associations. 4. LTG Ricardo Sanchez, U.S Army. 5. Sonia Sotomayor, first Hispanic, female Supreme Court Justice. Sonia Sotomayor was sworn-in on the 9th of August 2009. RESOURCES: League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) http://www.lulac.org/index.html The Hispanic American http://www.thehispanicamerican.com/ Havana Journal http://havanajournal.com/ The Association of the Advancement of Mexican Americans http://www.aamainc.us/ CLOSING: This reading assignment discussed the Hispanic-American Experience and their contributions to our great nation. America was developed and built by people of different nationalities and backgrounds, many have made, and continue to make major contributions to our society and military, Hispanic Americans are one such group. Hispanic Americans have made a difference in the history of this country. They leave a proud heritage for future Hispanic leaders of the 21st century to emulate. READ: As part of your responsibility as an EOL you must continue the training of Soldiers and leaders on overcoming the negative stereotypes of Hispanic Americans. As leaders, it is your responsibility to create and maintain the kind of organization where all can contribute their best without suffering discrimination and sexual harassment, which is what equal opportunity is about. It is also the right thing to do, morally and legally. Reading Assignment: 28 TASK: African-American Experience INTRODUCTION: This reading assignment focuses on the experiences of African- Americans and the historic and cultural issues of this ethnic group. As an Equal Opportunity Leader (EOL), it is important that you are aware of the contributions and sacrifices made by African Americans. Included in this reading assignment are issues that will enable you to understand and help foster a positive equal opportunity climate within your unit. HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS: African-Americans (not of Hispanic origin) as described in DoD Directive 1350.2 is a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Africa. Nations of Africa include: a. Ghana (650 AD - 1200 AD) - Was the first great empire in western Africa to rise to power. Ghana was known for agriculture and trading and gained wealth through trade and taxation. b. The kingdom of Mali overthrew Ghana and became a powerful empire in 1235 AD. Mali was important for agriculture, mining and weaving. Mansa Musa who encouraged industry and wealth in his people ruled the kingdom. This kingdom lasted for approximately 20 years. c. Songhay captured Mali in 1469 AD and became the primary Western African power and trading point. Songhay was known for great intellectual centers. They had a University located in Timbuktu. This University taught law, grammar, literature and surgery. However, the media in general portrayed them otherwise. There are other kingdoms and empires in West Africa, but none as well known or powerful as Songhay. According to author Andrew Billingsley, the traditional African family was composed all of the following: a. All members of the community and in the extended family, and community members were viewed as relatives. b. The traditional African family included not only the deceased members, but also the unborn members still in the womb. Also, if anyone spoke of you then you were considered part of the family system. c. The family recognized and accepted the belief that their existence depended on all family members living and deceased. d. The eldest male family members were the head of the family. e. Early Africa was a mixture of tribes. Each had its own distinct language and social structure, as well as a very distinct economical life. So, as we look at the African family, you can see they had a family structure contrary to some media portrayals. The Africans had their own class system. They had an enlarged family group called the “clan.” Within this system there were three tiers: a. Top tier: The first was called the top tier. This tier was composed of descendants from free men. They were born of free men and could prove they belonged to the clan. b. Middle tier: The middle tier was made up of mostly workers. These individuals could not prove they belonged to the clan. c. Bottom tier: The bottom tier was composed of disgraced or degraded persons. These individuals may have been captured in war or they may have been slaves. A Dutch war ship brought the first 20 Africans to Virginia or the New World. They were sold for needed supplies. Approximately 7 million slaves made the journey to the United States in the seventieth century (1 out of every 5 died). Why Slavery? Blacks were initially viewed by society as savages, animals, different, therefore, being less than human. Thus, the White-Americans could justify using them as slaves. Blacks had a foreign lifestyle. They had a different color, culture and language. The new nation required a stable labor force. Why were Africans used as slaves versus the Native-Americans? Native-Americans knew the land and could run away. The Africans knew nothing about the land, the different foods, or their surroundings additionally; the Native-Americans were susceptible to the different diseases more quickly. Africans were easily identified and captured if they ran away. Why slavery worked. Slavery worked because of the lack of knowledge the Africans had of the land, food, and weather. They were subjected to a new socialization process which involved family ties broken, they were placed with Africans who didn’t speak the same dialect and so they could not communicate, and the different lifestyle they had to lead. The slaves were made powerless, which allowed slavery to work. It created an adaptive inferiority and this stereotype was used to justify the status of Black Americans. Furthermore, there was an economic factor in which the Africans were being traded for sugar, molasses or any other supplies needed for survival. As people relate to Adam and Eve in the Bible, for Blacks this can be related to the first born in America. Anthony and Isabella, who were slaves, gave birth to the first child in America of African decent and the baby was named William. The Slave Culture. Slave marriages and slave family relations had no legal standing, but usually lasted for decades, if not a lifetime. However, it was not a secure relationship because they were often sold, (mostly males). This pattern existed throughout slave society, in all geographic regions, in both rural and urban settings, among field hands as well as house servants. The slave owners found marriage and family relations among slaves a stabilizing force, reducing the incidents of fighting over women and inhibiting escape attempts. Under the slavery system, the head of the household changed. This was a result of the mother or father being sold out of the family. Most often it was the father; therefore, many slave families were headed by women. The slave families had no rights, and were viewed as a breeding ground. The slave family member’s roles: a. Father: Was viewed as a breeder and not head of household by the slave owners. The father was no longer able to maintain the family ties and often times not able to choose his own mate. b. Mother: The slave mother was the transmitter of the African history and culture. In the original African culture the man was the educator. However, during slavery this role became the responsibility of the mother. The mother was the “silent binder” of the family overall. c. Children: They were considered “ebony” or “black gold” and profit for the owners in the slave society. This was especially true for the male child and in some cases the female child, because they would grow up and become a worker. However, to the black family, children were important and the hope of the future. Most of the children grew up in two-parent families, with the father as head (secretly) and bore his surname and were never neglected by the mother or the father. During slavery, the social status of Blacks was dependent on the following: a. Free or slave: There were some Africans that came to the new world and were free. They primarily lived in the North. They were free because they were on the voyage with Columbus. So when they came to the new world they were free men. b. Owner of the slave: The owner’s position in the community was very important. The more slaves owned the higher the status. c. Field worker, housework, laborer, and artisan: The status of the slave depended on where they worked. d. Male or female e. Complexion (dark vs. light): The lighter the skins color the more favorable of a job you would hold, for example, house worker versus field worker. Self-determination and self-expression were prohibited. The key condition that encouraged Black culture during slavery was American racism. The socialization process of the children was extremely important in that the parents had to teach the children how to survive in America and the slave culture. Communication with new slaves arriving from Africa was not allowed. Slaves were expected to communicate to slave owners and show them respect, regardless of their time in captivity. The slave owners kept slaves who spoke the same dialect separated so they couldn’t communicate with each other in their native language. In Africa, there were over eight hundred different dialects blended together. This resulted in the use of “pidgin” English, which is derived from West Africa. It was used when conducting different commerce or trade. Another language developed is that of “Gullah” which was spoken on the sea islands of what is now South Carolina. It is also of Africa origin and is known to day as “Geeche”, “Creole” is another derivative of the African language spoken in Haiti, Louisiana, and Texas. Early slaves were slow to give up their own religion as they wanted to maintain there own traditions. An important aspect of the African religion included a sort of “witch doctor,” which the Whites did not accept and refused to allow them to practice their religion. The major reason for non-acceptance and rejection of Christianity by the Black slaves was they were not able to reconcile between Christianity and slavery, plus they already had their own religion. Attending church afforded a brief rest period which brought secondary gains that were more social than religious. Initially, church services were given by White preachers. Black preachers were only allowed to preach in the presence of the White masters. The content of their sermons were controlled by their master. There were three types of churches during slavery. There were White churches with Black members, separate Black churches under White leadership, and there were separate Black churches with Black leadership. There was great reluctance to let Blacks have their own church with Black leadership. In 1794, Bishop White had a desire to ordain a Black person, which went against the establishment, however, he ordained Richard Allen, a black man, who refused to accept what society had to say and established the first Black church. The church was of the Methodist faith. The African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church was formed based on this historical time. Blacks knew as long as they remained in the White churches, conditions would always be the same. This was due to the following: a. A total lack of self-help programs for Blacks. b. Non-participation in church activities. c. An absence of Blacks in leadership roles. d. Doctrine did not serve the needs of Black people. Myths and stereotypes were used to justify the economic exploitation of Blacks during the slave period. The following are some stereotypes: a. Ignorant, lazy, incapable of competing, and inferior in intelligence. b. “Less than human” status in the eyes of many Whites c. Natural station in life of Blacks was slavery. d. Contrary to popular belief, all Southern Whites did not own plantations and slaves and some did not agree with the slavery system. These individuals were shone from society. Slaves were property and not human beings. There were “Slave Codes” established. An example of one of the codes stated that if a White slave ran away and got caught, he would have to serve his master for one year. However, if a Black slave ran away and got caught, he would have to serve his master for the rest of his or her life. Slavery was first recognized in Virginia by a law passed in 1662. Prior to this people were put into slavery without this law. This law did not change any of the existing conditions of slavery, except to make it law. In 1663, Maryland followed Virginia’s model and came out with the declaration that Blacks were to serve “Durante Vita,” or for the duration of their lives. After 1690 slavery became a system that stripped Blacks of all their rights. More laws were passed to ensure control of the slaves. Laws were used to reinforce racial attitudes that Blacks were inherently inferior and should be slaves because it was natural. At the end of the Civil War all Blacks were free and the following was the impact: (1) No longer could members of the family be sold. (2) Marriage between Blacks finally legalized and recorded. (3) Black men were in charge of their families. (4) Extended families began to grow. (5) The geographic mobility or northern migration was disruptive to Black family life. Blacks were leaving their family for a better life. This also created problems since there was more competition for jobs. The African-American family is very important institution within the Black community. They include: a. Nuclear Families: Husband, wife, and children. b. Extended Families: Husband, wife, children, and other relatives. c. Augmented Families: Husband, wife, children, other relatives, non-relatives, additionally individuals who moved in with the family, and those who were raised by the family. The following are characteristics of the Black families function for development, survivability, and stability: a. Strong kinship bonds. b. Strong work orientation. c. Adaptability of family roles. d. High achievement orientation (make your family proud). e. Religious orientation. Segregation in the United States was the practice of separating the races. The segregation era lasted from 1877 until 1954. Jim Crow laws were named for an antebellum (Pre-American Civil War) minstrel character. Some examples of the laws are: In Oklahoma, telephone booths were segregated. Mississippi had separate soft-drink machines. In Atlanta Georgia, an Afro-American could not “swear to tell the truth” on the same Bible used by White witnesses. In North Carolina, factories were separated into Black and White sections. In some Alabama towns it was against the law for Blacks and Whites to play cards, checkers, dominoes, or other games together on athletic teams. In Florida, school textbooks were segregated in separate warehouses. In Washington, D.C., Black people could not bury their dead dogs or cats in the same pet cemeteries used by Whites. One Jim Crow law tried to stop Black and White cotton-mill workers from looking out the same window. The Jim Crow laws were central to White supremacist thought. The perception that Blacks were inherently inferior was a conviction being stridently trumpeted by White Supremacist from the press, the pulpit, the platform, as well as from the legislative halls of the South. The label, “For Colored Only,” was a public expression of disparagement amounting to officially sanctioned civil inequality. The Civil rights Movement began in 1950. a. 1954 - Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education. RESULT: Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka was a great legal triumph. Although it did not instantly end school segregation, it destroyed the constitutional foundation which legalized segregation in the South. And on May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court unanimously declared that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal” and as such, violates the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which guarantees all citizens “equal protection of the law.” b. Civil Rights Act (1957): Designed to prevent the denial of voting rights and to set up an investigative agency (Civil Rights Commission). c. In 1960 Congress passed another civil rights act to reinforce the 1957 act. d. Between 1960 and 1964 there were executive orders by President Kennedy affecting discrimination in employment and housing. e. Executive Order 11063 in 1962: Prevented discrimination in building and purchasing of housing in federally funded projects. f. Executive Order 10925 in 1961: Barred discrimination in federal employment and by government contractors. g. The moving force behind the passage of most of the civil rights legislation was the Black people. h. The 1964 Civil Rights Act. RESULTS: (1) Blacks could no longer be excluded from public accommodations. (2) The Justice Department was empowered to bring desegregation suits. (3) Any program or service which practiced racial discrimination was denied federal aid. (4) Racial bias in employment and union membership was prohibited. i. 1965 Voting Rights Act. RESULTS: (1) Banned literacy test and other screening devices. (2) Federal examiners were assigned to conduct registration and observe voting. j. The Civil Rights Act of 1968. RESULTS: Barred discrimination in renting and purchasing of private dwellings. CONTRIBUTIONS: (Listed below are just a few contributions that notable African-Americans have achieved in our military and country. We highly encourage you to enhance your awareness and unit training by conducting additional research into the achievements and contributions of African-Americans). 1. Carter G. Woodson, Founder of the Journal of Negro History in 1916. 2. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Civil Rights Leader Nobel Peace Prize recipient. 3. Thurgood Marshall, first African American Supreme Court Justice. 4. General Colin Powell, U.S Army. Former Secretary of State. 5. President Barack Obama, first African American President January 2009. RESOURCES: African American History Library of Congress http://www.loc.gov/rr/mss/guide/african.html African American Federal Executives Association http://www.aafea.org/ NAACP http://www.naacp.org/ Black History http://www.blackhistory.com/ CLOSING: This reading assignment discussed the struggles and contributions made by African-Americans, and their many similarities between other cultures. America was developed and built by people of different nationalities and backgrounds, many have made, and continue to make major contributions to our society and military, African Americans are one such group. African Americans have made a difference in the history of this country. They leave a proud heritage for future African American leaders of the 21st century to emulate. READ: As part of your responsibility as an EOL you must continue the training of Soldiers and leaders on overcoming the negative stereotypes of African Americans. As leaders, it is your responsibility to create and maintain the kind of organization where all can contribute their best without suffering discrimination and sexual harassment, which is what equal opportunity is about. It is also the right thing to do, morally and legally. Reading Assignment: 29 TASK: Asian-American Experience INTRODUCTION: This reading assignment focuses on the experiences of Asian- Americans and the historic and cultural issues of this ethnic group. As an Equal Opportunity Leader (EOL), it is important that you are aware of the contributions and sacrifices made by Asian Americans. Included in this reading assignment are issues that will enable you to understand and help foster a positive equal opportunity climate within your unit. HISTORY OF ASIAN AMERICANS: Asians are the largest population group on the face of the earth. Almost all countries are involved in some type of trade with Asians countries. All of us are involved in Asian trade in some form or another. Furthermore, we have a tremendous number of military personnel stationed in Asian countries and a significant number of military personnel with Asian born spouses. Many people think of Asian-Americans as one single homogeneous group. Actually they are one of the most diverse groups. As described in DoD Directive 1350.2, an Asian or Pacific Islander is a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands. Origin of the Asian-American includes, for example, China, India, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa. While there is not sufficient time to discuss all Asian groups, we will focus on the groups that have impacted the most on American society and history. These groups are Chinese, Japanese, Koreans and Filipinos. The Chinese and the Japanese were the first group of Asians to come to the U.S. What happened to them set the stage for other groups which followed. Chinese (1840 – 1882): The major influx of Chinese immigrants to the U.S. took place during the period 1840 to 1882. Most of the Chinese who immigrated to the U.S. did so because of the turmoil ongoing in China. They were primarily poor people, not very well educated, and had few professional skills. In most cases, they hoped to earn money for them to take back with them when they returned to their country. The work they received during this period was primarily in agricultural. Since this type of work was very labor intensive, there was a constant need for laborers. There was also a need for laborers in building the cross continental railroad. Most Chinese came to the U.S. voluntarily to work and paid there own way. They also brought with them the tools they had used in China for years. One of the tools was called the sluice. It is the long inclined trough used for separating gold ore. When gold was discovered in 1848 at Sutters Mill in California, the sluice was introduced and used. A large percentage of individual groups that immigrated to the U.S. eventually returned to their native country. Approximately 55 percent of the Asians who came to the U.S. did not stay. Japanese (1860 – 1907): The Japanese began coming to the U.S. in the 1860s and brought with them extensive experience in agriculture. Filipino (1899 – 1946): The Philippine Revolution against Spain began in April of 1896, culminating two years later with a proclamation of independence and the establishment of the First Philippine Republic. However, the Treaty of Paris, at the end of the Spanish-American War, transferred control of the Philippines to the United States. U.S. colonial rule of the Philippines began in December 1899, with very limited local rule permitted beginning in 1905. Partial autonomy (commonwealth status) was granted in 1935, preparatory to a planned full independence from the United States in 1945. But what was envisioned as a 10-year transition period from a commonwealth to a fully sovereign state was interrupted by the Japanese occupation of the islands during World War II. Full independence was only granted to the Philippines in July 1946. Koreans (1901 – 1907): Koreans began coming to the U.S. in 1901. During this time, Korea was under the control of Japan. There were only approximately 7200 Koreans in the U.S. until the late 1960s. However, Koreans are now the third largest source of immigration in the U.S. today. Asian-Americans have contributed significantly to this nation. They built the cross continental railroad, which connected the east and west coast. They this achieved arduous task with very little machinery (e.g., horse drawn labor), while working in adverse weather conditions. Twelve-thousand of the fourteen-thousand workers on the central pacific railroad were Chinese. Another contribution of Asian-Americans is that they converted the swamps of the San Quaquin valley in California into some of the most fertile farmland on earth today. They built dikes, and drained the water by using their extensive knowledge of agriculture. Not only did Asian-American have extensive knowledge in agriculture, but aquaculture as well. They helped farm and mine the sea as well. They built a Chinese cannery built in San Francisco in the 1860s. And finally they helped build the pineapple and sugar cane plantations in Hawaii. One of the things you need to understand about Asians is that they came and they succeeded. However, their success or ability to remain in the U.S. was not easy. There were many laws and regulations that were enacted to restrict or limit their immigration and even prohibited their citizenship. In 1852, California passed a Foreign Miners Tax. They passed this legislation to tax all foreigners who were involved in mining. One of the reasons the Chinese came to the U.S. were to work in gold mines. Initially, each Chinese was required to pay a tax of three dollars a month, which was a majority of their monthly earnings. In 1853 the tax was raised to $4 a month. Tax collectors who got to keep a percentage of the tax were authorized to seize and sell property on one hour’s notice for failure to pay tax. This caused even more hardships on the Chinese since the laws were not even printed in Chinese until 1855. Furthermore, there was a law in California that prevented the Chinese, along with Negroes, Indians and mulattos from testifying in court. The next important piece of legislation was the Naturalization Act of 1870. This was the first national legislation that impacted on Asians. This act forbade the entry of spouses into the U.S. and it excluded the Chinese from obtaining citizenship. The legislation also applied to Jews coming from Europe and other groups. The Chinese Exclusion Act was passed by Congress in 1882. This was the first national legislation directed specifically towards a specific racial or ethnic group. This act specifically precluded Chinese immigration for a ten year period. In 1892 congress passed the Geary Act. This Act continued the Chinese Exclusion Act. As a result of the Naturalization Act of 1870, the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Geary Act, the Chinese community consisted mainly of a male society. In 1854 there were 4500 Chinese immigrants in the U.S. and only 16 of them were women. This gave rise to the concept of the “mutilated family.” Whereas the husband is in the U.S. and the wife and family remain in China. This started the gradual decline of the Chinese community. The Japanese immigrants saw what was happening to the Chinese and negotiated The Gentleman’s Agreement of 1907. This Agreement stated the Japanese agreed to voluntarily restrict immigration. Since Korea belonged to Japan during that time, it cut off Korean immigration. The Gentleman’s Agreement allowed the Japanese to set up the “picture bride” system. This system allowed them to send pictures back and forth to Japan, get married based on the picture, and then allowed them to bring their spouse to the U.S. This created a population increase amongst the Japanese. In 1913 the Alien Land Act was passed. This Act prevented aliens who were ineligible for citizenship from owning land in California. Most people attain their citizenship by being born in a certain place. So if the Japanese family had a baby in the U.S., it makes the baby a U.S. citizen, based on U.S. law. So the Japanese could title their land in the names of their children, who were U.S. citizens. As mentioned earlier, there were very few Chinese women in the U.S. In 1922 the U.S. government passed the Cable Act. This Act says that if you are an American female and you marry a foreign male, you lose your citizenship. The next piece of legislation that was passed was the Exclusionary Immigration Act of 1924. It is also known as the National Origins Act. It excluded all Asians from immigration. It also put immigration quotas on British, Germans and others. The Exclusionary Immigration Act did not apply to Filipinos, as they were considered U.S. nationals. This impacted on the California Fruit Growers Association as most of their Mexican laborers had to be replaced by Filipinos. This Act basically excluded the immigration of all Asians, except the Filipinos. The U.S. passed the Tiddings-McDuffie Act in 1934, which granted common wealth status to the Philippines, and their independence. As the Philippines became a free country, they were no longer considered U.S. nationals and became subject to immigration quotas. The quota allowed the Philippines was 50 people per year. At this point in time we have the Chinese and Filipino communities declining and the Japanese community continuing to grow. The Chinese family structure. The Chinese family structure is the “clan.” The family needs are placed above individual needs. The family, not the individual, is the nucleus of Chinese culture. They have an extended family. The surname or family is place before the first name, because it is the most important. There is a strong respect for elders within the Chinese family. There is a very strong male tradition in the Chinese family, because the family exists only as long as the name continues. The family name goes from father to son. The Chinese practice Filial Piety. Filial means “towards the father”, and “Piety” means worship or reverence towards the father. Some of the characteristic of Filial Piety is that parents command the children. Children are not consulted on family matters. If the children display bad behavior it is seen as the dereliction of the parent. A child misbehaving dishonors all of the family members. In the process of Filial Piety, as the children matures, an impression of affection by the mother lessons. It is appropriate to kiss a baby, but when the child gets older it’s very much reduced. Furthermore, the father is always detached from the child to ensure proper dignity and respect. Filial piety among contemporary Chinese-Americans is not quite so patriarchal or formal. The depth of the traditional values varies with the amount of traditional culture contact, not with the length of time they’ve been in the United States. The Japanese-American family. The Japanese-American family is similar to the Chinese-Americans. It is very patriarchal. Filial Piety is practiced. It is male oriented where the father is the absolute authority. There is a general respect for elders. Males are the only heirs within the family. In many cases, the father-son relationship is stronger than the father-spouse relationship. To the Japanese, the family is above the individual. The Japanese have an extended family concept. Their extended family is referred to as the “House”. The “House” is a social entity to which status, lineage and customs are attached. The needs of the house are considered first. The types of filial piety in a Japanese family are reciprocal in that the child and the parent are obligated to each other. Korean family structure. The first thing you need to understand about the Korean family structure is Korea has a socially stratified society. There are several distinct classes. Traditionally, there were four classes: the scholars; the technicians and administrators; the commoners; and then the base people. This traditional lasted for thousands of years. After the Korean War in 1954, an amendment to the constitution changed the social class stratification to an economic stratification. The current stratification has three classes: people with money and influence; people with money and no influence; and people with no money and no influence. Although this took place in 1954, the old stratification has not completely gone away. Filial Piety is a very prominent element of family membership. It is a strong male orientation. The concept of the household in the Korean family is called the “CHIP,” pronounced “cheap,” it is similar to the clan. There is a strong respect for the elders and the educated. As you can see, the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean families have similarities in the family structure. The Filipino family structure. The Filipino family structure is very different from the Chinese and Japanese family structure. First of all, there are more than 7,000 different islands that make up the Philippines and many have their own diverse cultures.The Philippines have been affected by a lot of outside influences. There was a lot of early contact with China that influenced the Philippines and the Philippine lifestyle. The Malaysian trade routes brought the Philippines into contact with Muslims and other cultures. Ferdinand Magellan claimed the Philippines in 1521 for Prince Philip of Spain. This control lasted 378 years until the U.S. ousted Spain. Filipinos have an extended family similar to the Chinese. However, the family is less formal in their relationships. The family is bonded together with love, respect and responsibility. It is a mutual bond. Relatives of both the husband and wife are part of the extended family. Due to the Spanish influence, the family includes the godmother and godfather as part of the child’s family. Filial Piety is not practiced. The spouses share parental responsibility, authority, and decision making, similar to the American culture. Many individuals think Asian-Americans are a minority that we don’t have to worry about very much, because they are doing very well. Asian-Americans, like other minority groups and cultures, have problems and concerns that need to be addressed. Of primary concern is the negative stereotype the Japanese are buying up America. Other problems include the family and maintaining their old culture e.g., language, religion etc. The following is an extract of comments from a 1986 U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. While it talks about Asian-Americans, it is unfortunately applicable to other groups and cultures. “The root causes of bigotry and violence against Asian-Americans are complex. Racial prejudice; misplaced anger caused by wars or economic competition with Asian countries; resentment of the real of perceived success of Asian-Americans; and a lack of understanding of the histories, customs, and religions of Asian-Americans all play a role in triggering incidents of bigotry and violence. The media have contributed to the prejudice by promoting stereotypes of Asian-Americans, especially the model minority stereotype; by sometimes highlighting the criminal activities of Asian gangs; and by failing to provide in-depth and balanced coverage that would help the public to understand the diverse Asian-American population. Furthermore, the media gives little attention to hate crimes against Asian-Americans, thereby hindering the formation of a national sense of outrage about bigotry and violence against Asian-Americans, a critical ingredient for social change.......” CONTRIBUTIONS: (Listed below are just a few contributions that notable Asian-Americans have achieved in our military and country. We highly encourage you to enhance your awareness and unit training by conducting additional research into the achievements and contributions of Asian-Americans). 1. Steven Chu, a member of President Obama’s Cabinet and the Secretary of Energy is a Chinese American experimental physicist, known for his research in laser cooling and trapping of atoms, which won him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997. 2. LTC Ellison Onizuka flew aboard the first Defense Department shuttle mission in January 1985 and later died aboard the Challenger in 1986. 3. General Eric Shinseki, U.S Army. Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 4. Duke Kahanamoku, father of international surfing. 5. Jerry Yang, co creator of the Yahoo search engine. RESOURCES: National Association of Asian American Professionals http://www.naaap.org/ Asian American Net http://www.asianamerican.net/ Asian American Cultural Center http://www.asianamericancc.com/ Asian American http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_American CLOSING: This reading assignment discussed the struggles and contributions made by Asian-Americans, and their many similarities between other cultures. America was developed and built by people of different nationalities and backgrounds, many have made, and continue to make major contributions to our society and military, Asian Americans are one such group. Asian Americans have made a difference in the history of this country. They leave a proud heritage for future Asian American leaders of the 21st century to emulate. READ: As part of your responsibility as an EOL you must continue the training of Soldiers and leaders on overcoming the negative stereotypes of Asian Americans. As leaders, it is your responsibility to create and maintain the kind of organization where all can contribute their best without suffering discrimination and sexual harassment, which is what equal opportunity is about. It is also the right thing to do, morally and legally. Reading Assignment: 30 TASK: Jewish-American Experience INTRODUCTION: This reading assignment focuses on the experiences of Jewish- Americans and the historic and cultural issues of this ethnic group. As an Equal Opportunity Leader (EOL), it is important that you are aware of the contributions and sacrifices made by Jewish Americans. Included in this reading assignment are issues that will assist you to understanding and fostering a positive equal opportunity climate within your unit. HISTORY OF JEWISH AMERICANS: Although the focus of this lesson will be on the experience of Jews in America, it is important you understand some of the history and events of Jewish people. The participation of Jewish-Americans in the American experience has been, and promises to continue, to be as exciting and glorious as all other American groups. One studies the Jewish-American experience, not to take away from the experience of other ethnic groups, but rather to add to their understanding. Judaism is one of the oldest world religions, and is the forerunner of both Christianity and Islam. Though the number of its adherents is small, they greatly impacted Western thought and civilization. This ancient religion arose in the Near East some 3,500 years ago. Among monotheistic religions, or those whose followers believe in only one true god, it is one of the oldest. Though this religion has always had a relatively small number of believers, Judaism has played an extremely important role in the development of Western civilization. Christianity was built on the foundation of Judaism, and Islam. Moreover, the Jews have risen to great heights in every area of cultural achievement. It is important to know the Jews have made their contributions in the face of enormous difficulties, for survival in an often hostile world. Only a tenacious adherence to their beliefs, their customs, and their identity accounts for their continued existence. Early Jewish History. “In the beginning, God created the universe.” (Gen, 1:1). That is the start of Jewish history. The Old Testament is the story of the Jewish people. The first five books of the Old Testament are the foundation of the Jewish faith, the document called the Torah. In those books are some of the key events which help explain the reactions of the Jewish people to the situations which have affected them throughout history. The first critical concept is from Genesis (17: 1-2, 5, 8). When Abraham was ninety years old the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the Almighty God, obey me, and always do what is right and I will make a covenant with you and give you many descendants...I will give to you and to your descendants this Land in which you are now a foreigner. The whole land of Canaan will belong to your descendants forever, and I will be their God.” Many generations of wandering passed and the Israelites came to the Sinai with Moses as their leader. The next important concept came through Moses. This is from Exodus (19:2-8). After they had left Egypt, they came to the desert of Sinai. There, they set up camp at the foot of Mount Sinai, and Moses went up to the mountain to meet God. The Lord called to him from the mountain and told him to say to the Israelites ”if you will obey me and keep my covenant...you will be my chosen people and you will serve me as priests.” The people answered” we will do everything the Lord has said.” The guidance received by Moses and written in the Torah describes for the Jewish people a way of life. This is supplemented by interpretations and discussions of the Torah by Jewish scholars known as Rabbis. These discussions form the basis for the body of law called the Talmud, which was originally completed about 500 AD. From the Talmud, comes the concept of Mitzvah, the way the Jewish people affirm their faith. Through Mitzvah the people prove their commitment to God by performing good deeds. Understanding these foundations of the Jewish faith helps you understand how the Jewish people have survived for thousands of years and their reactions to situations they have faced. For as long as history has been recorded, it tells a continuous story of exile, resettlement, and conquest of the Jewish people of their lands. Throughout this time the Jewish people were able to overcome prejudice, hate, and discrimination making significant developments in their religion and culture by keeping in mind God’s covenant. If they kept His commandments and performed good deeds, they would be given Israel as their home. After the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus in 70 CE, the Jewish people were expelled from their land and tried to plant new roots throughout the entire known world following on the coattails of the Romans. Eventually, through centuries of dispersion, the Jewish people evolved into two general distinct subgroups, the Ashkenazim (Germanic) and the Sephardim (Spanish). The Hebrews word that signified the land of Germany, Ashkenaz, was used to describe all Jews living in Germany, parts of France, Eastern Europe, and Russia. The Hebrew word that signified the lands of Spain and Portugal on the Iberian Peninsula, Sephard, was used to describe those Jews living on the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa, and parts of Middle East. These two Jewish groups were linked by a common faith and history, but separated by distance, had different historical experiences, which were to affect their entry into America. One will quickly see that the effect the Jews had on America began even before the existence of America was known in Europe. The Sephardim, or Spanish Jews, lived primarily under Islamic rule, either in the Middle East, North Africa, or Moorish Spain. While technically the Muslims viewed them as inferior, because they did not accept the Islamic faith, in practice they were allowed to make great contributions in art, science, literature, and politics. Spain eventually was united under the reign of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella in 1492. One of the first tasks of the Queen, under the guidance of her religious adviser Tomas de Torquemada, was to make Spain a land united under one faith. After converting or expelling the Moors, the Crown issued a decree that all Jews must either convert or leave the country. This order was announced on April 20, 1492. It is interesting to note that Columbus set his sailing date for August 2 but was postponed a day due to the heavy port traffic caused by the exiles leaving Spain. The Spanish Monarchs then forced the hand of King Manuel of Portugal, who in 1497 expelled from that country all Jews who would not convert. This expulsion marked the end of Spanish and Portuguese Jewry, but also begun the history of Jews in America. The Jews come to America. By the 13th century Jewish life in Spain began to decline as Christianity became dominant throughout Europe. By the 14th century, increasing competition developed between Christians and Jewish merchants in the cities. Christians instituted local laws restricting the religious liberty of Jews. Anti-Jewish violence, common in other parts of Europe, began to erupt in Spain. Jews became targets of suspicion and prejudice. For example, they were blamed for the Black Plague and accused of performing the Blood Libel, a sacrificial ritual to obtain Christian blood for the Passover Feast. Mobs invaded Jewish neighborhoods and synagogues. The government offered the Jews death or baptism. Many were baptized and were known as conversos; however, many conversos continued to practice Judaism in private. The first wave of Jewish immigration was during the period of 1654-1829 and consisted of 23 people. These Jewish people sailed up the coast to the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, which is now New York City. They developed the first Jewish colony on North American soil. The primary reason for immigrating was for religious freedom. The population grew from 23 to about 5,000 by 1829. They were considered wealthy and skilled professionals. One of this group’s major accomplishments was to win the right to become citizens, own real estate, to travel and trade and the right to bear arms. However, they were still required to worship in private. When Great Britain defeated the Dutch and renamed the area New York City, Jews were allowed more freedom to practice religion. They established “model” communities similar to what they had in Europe. The second wave of Jewish immigration to America was from 1820-1880. They mainly arrived from Germany and Central Europe. As a result, the Jewish population grew to approximately 300,000. The primary reason for immigration during this period was to escape political strife and economic suffering. The majority of immigrants were traders, peddlers, or merchants. These Jews spread across the country and tended to assimilate more into American society than the first group of Jews. The third wave of Jewish immigration took place 1880 – 1924, and consisted of Jewish people from Eastern Europe. They were poor, unskilled and immigrated because little work was available and to escape extreme religious persecution. During this period approximately 2.5 million Jewish people came to the U.S. They mainly settled in the industrial cities. Their primary accomplishments made during this period included the formation of unions and groups to fight for laws, including child labor laws. This was during the Industrial Revolution and there was a need for laborers. They settled mostly in New York City in crowded, substandard housing. Many worked in the grocery, dry goods, and garment industry. As a result of the substandard conditions they lived and worked in, Jewish organizations emerged to improve conditions. These conditions and organizations were catalysts for major changes in the U.S. The factory working conditions in most parts of the U.S. were unsafe and miserable. The conditions were crowded, unsanitary, and hazardous because of this there were many problems and deaths in factories. The Jewish organizations took the forefront in lobbying against the unsafe conditions. It all came to head in an incident known as the 1911 Triangle Shirt Waist Company fire. There was a movie made on this incident year ago. It was a typical “sweat shop” factory and about 95 percent of the young people employed were young Jewish women and the other five percent were other minority women immigrants. The owners would lock the doors of the factory to keep the women from escaping and loosing productivity. One day a fire started in the factory and no one was able to get out. A few of the women jumped of three or four story windows to their deaths and the other 143 women burned to death in the factory. The press reported the incident, which caused labor reform to come to the forefront in the U.S. This was due in large part to the lobbying by some of the Jewish welfare and aid organizations. The ultimate results were changes in safety and child labor laws. In 1924, due to an outcry on the large volume of Jewish immigrants, quotas in immigration were established. Before the Immigration Act of 1924 there were 140,000 Jewish people immigrating to America each year. After the Act was enacted and quotas established, the rate dropped to 10,000. During the period 1935-1945, in an attempt to respond to Nazism, the American public did not want America to be a haven for Jews. After concentration camps in Europe were destroyed, Americans had more tolerance for Jews. Although many Jews originally came to America to practice religious freedom, they still did not have equal religious rights. One of the longest battles was trying to get separation of church and state. Originally in the U.S. much of the civic privilege was tied to taking a Christian oath of office. Thus, Jewish people were excluded from many civic privileges. The next legislation the Jewish people were involved in was the Zionist movement. Zionism is a biblical term for Israel. Zionism is a plan or movement of the Jewish people to return to Palestine. It was a movement originally aimed at the re-establishment of a Jewish national homeland and state in Palestine and now concerned with the development and support of Israel. In 1917, the British who controlled the lands of Palestine supported the Balfer Declaration, which was the idea of Palestine as the Jewish state. Bowing to the pressure of the Arab nations who did not want the Jewish people to immigrate in 1939 they closed off Palestine to immigration. In 1947 the United Nations finally voted to open Palestine again as a Jewish state. On May 14, 1948 the British left Palestine and the state of Israel was proclaimed. Unfortunately most of the Arab nations have not recognized the existence of Israel as a separate political entity. The establishment of Israel ended a debate amongst Jewish-Americans, which had split the Jewish communities for many years on whether to support the state of Israel or not. Unfortunately, it raised anti-Semitic sentiment, because people thought that with the establishment of a Jewish homeland the Jews in America would desert in droves to Israel. This did not happen, because being Jewish does not tie a person to a nationality. Jewish-Americans stayed in America, but supported Israel with money, skills and philanthropic support. There were disagreements within the Jewish community on the legitimacy of the state of Israel. These disagreements ranged from the unconcerned to rejection, moderate to extreme concern, and positive to negative. Some reject it, because they do not want to be associated with political Zionism and the possibility of being discriminated against and harassed. Devout Orthodox Jews reject the state of Israel, because it was promised to them as a religious homeland to establish by God as a result of keeping the covenant and the return of the Messiah. They do not see the political formation of the state as Israel as fulfilling that portion of the covenant. The traditional definition of a Jew is if you were born of a Jewish mother. The concept of having the Jewish religion passed through the mother stems from their long history of conquest. Because of the number of battles and struggles that the Jewish people went through, many men died in wars as their lands were conquered or they separated from their families. The Jewish people realized that the best way to keep track of who was of the family was through the mother. However, in 1983 the Reform Jews recognized that it can be passed through either parent as long as the child is raised in the Jewish tradition. People can convert to Judaism, but it must be approved by an Orthodox Rabbi. Being Jewish goes beyond a religious belief and doesn’t rest in theology. It is a state of mind and emotion that crosses religious and secular lines and crosses cultural, national, and racial differences. There are Jewish people of all cultures of all nations of all races and you find them practicing their culture in a variety of ways all of which are religious. There are many Jewish sects. So being Jewish does not mean you have the same lineage, nationality, ethnicity, or race. Judaism can be defined as the religion of the Jewish people, tracing its origins to Abraham and having its spiritual and ethical principles embodied in the Bible and the Talmud. It is conformity to the traditional rites and ceremonies of the Jewish religion. There are three major Jewish groups and their identity can be traced to the area from which they immigrated from. The first group is Orthodox Judaism. It is also known as the traditional Jewish religion. To be an Orthodox, you must have been born of a Jewish mother or converted to Judaism by an approved Orthodox Rabbi. Orthodoxy believes in God as the divine and absolute Creator who revealed His work and His plan for humanity through the Torah given to Moses and the Jewish people at Mt. Sinai. The Torah is binding. The Rabbis (teachers), or spiritual leaders, strictly and literally interpret the teachings of the Torah and the laws, or Talmud. Because the teachings and law come from God, there is never a need to change. Tradition is preserved and passed from generation to generation. Children are schooled in religious traditions. Synagogue or congregational worship and prayers are central to the practice of Orthodox Judaism and are practiced according to traditional ritual. The laws and rituals of the Sabbath, Holy days, and diet are followed strictly. Orthodox Jews observe the Commandments precisely. The second group is Reform Judaism (modern). As a reaction to Orthodoxy, the Reform movement developed in Germany in the middle 1800s. Abraham Geiger is often identified as the founder of the Reform movement. They challenged the concept of revelation and as a consequence the need to follow precedents in interpreting the law or the need to follow the law itself. Reform Judaism teaches that the Jewish religion is an evolving religion that must continue to change to meet the needs of our time. Reform Judaism can have lineage from either parent. The ethical and moral teachings of the Torah were revealed by God and are binding. The ritual laws were developed by people to satisfy the needs of the times. These can be changed as needed to unify the Jewish people. Reform Jews believe that following the laws is a matter of individual choice and each person must rely on conscience and experience to determine the validity of the laws. Reform Jews believe in general revelations and directions of the Torah, and so it is still meaningful, although they will be more liberal in applying the specific rules to their daily lives. Reform Jews believe social action and concern for others are the heart of Judaism’s message and that their followers can deal with secular challenges and problems and be a part of the larger community and still remain Jews. They believe working with other faiths is the best way to wipe out religious prejudice. Reform Judaism is always willing to experiment with new practices, ceremonies, and rituals to strengthen Jewish life. The third group is Conservative Judaism (middle of the road, based on the congregation): the Conservative movement, having roots also in Germany, developed out of a reaction to some of the radical positions of the Reform movement. They saw Jewish law and its precedents as important, but not necessarily binding on the present. The essentials of the law, or its spirit, were binding, not necessarily a past ruling. To be considered a Conservative, you can identify lineage from either parent as long as the child is raised in a Jewish tradition, according to the reformed Jewish community. They can also be converted by any Rabbi. Conservatism views Judaism as a changing religious civilization with the main purpose of preserving the Jewish people. Conservative Jews accept the Torah as the revealed word of God, but they also believe revelation is progressive. People have interpreted the Torah and must continually reinterpret in light of changing ethical, social, and economic situations. Change is carefully considered. Conservatism favors tradition, but will adjust ritual laws. The synagogue and the home are basic institutions and maximum Jewish education is encouraged. Conservative Jews believe the differences are often a matter of degree rather than disagreement. There is no strict cut-off and there is a great deal of crossover. There are more similarities than differences between traditional and modern Jews. There are other more extreme Jewish movements. There is Hasidic (or folk) and mystic followers. There are the Black Hebrew and Falashism whose movement members consider themselves true descendants of the original Jewish tribes. There are more radical movements; such as re-constructionists, who reject traditional Jewish concepts about God and the Torah. There are Evangelical Jews, and even Jews who believe Jesus was the Messiah. There are also secular movements; such as Zionism. The language of Jewish-Americans is predominantly English, which comes from their desire to assimilate into the U.S. rather quickly and to progress. Hebrew is a traditional language and spoken in many synagogues and during rituals. Yiddish, a combination of Hebrew and German is slowly dying out along with Ladino, which is a Sephardic mixture of Hebrew and Spanish Jewish law embodies basic values common to all humanity. In this respect it can be viewed as applicable both to Jews and non-Jews alike. An attempt has been made by Rabbi David Saperstien, Associate Director of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, to abstract the values embedded in Jewish law. He lists the following: a. The inherent dignity and importance of all of humankind, derived from the belief that we are all made in the image of God; b. The equality of all people rooted in our common descent from Eve and Adam; c. The capacity of all people, given the will and the right educational tools, to improve themselves; d. The concept of wealth as representing that which is God’s and which is given to human owners in a trust relationship, a trust which requires sharing of the wealth with the less fortunate; e. The attendant special concern which God has mandated for the poor, the widow, the hungry, and the orphan; f. The belief that a society or state is created to serve the needs of its citizens, not vice versa; g. The existence of certain laws (the seven Noachide laws) which were regarded as essential to any civilized society. They included bans on murder, robbery, blasphemy, idolatry; sexual crimes, eating of living flesh, and required that every community establish courts of justice; h. The rule of law to which even the highest human ruler is accountable; i. Freedom of choice and accompanying responsibility of each person for his or her actions; j. The paramount obligation of individuals and societies to pursue justice, righteousness and “darkei shalom” or the ways of peace, e.g., to be involved in the work of social justice. What is the Jewish Culture? What binds Jews together? The answer to this is their basic beliefs of Judaism. There are seven areas that tie Jewish culture together. They are: a. The Torah (Bible). The Torah is a handwritten document containing the original first five books of the Bible and is the foundation of the following Jewish beliefs: b. The Talmud (Law). Written by Rabbi’s in 500 AD and is used to keep Jewish traditions alive. It meets changing needs through interpretation. c. Mitzvah. It means affirm commitment to God through good deeds. Individuals that go through the ceremony are considered to have entered adulthood. d. One God. Judaism has only one God: the creator, the lawgiver, the helper. Judaism is the oldest known Monotheistic religion. e. Covenant. The Covenant is the contract between God and the Jewish people. f. Dietary Laws (Kashrut). Jewish Rabbi’s inspect slaughter houses and other food industries to affirm if the food is properly prepared to be “Kosher.” The animals must be slaughtered humanely. These laws were not imposed for any reason except for health. The law states “do not eat anything that the Lord has declared unclean. You may eat these animals: cattle, sheep, goats, deer, wild sheep, wild goat, or antelopes. Any animals that have divided hooves and that also chew the cud, but no animals may be eaten unless they have divided hooves and also chew the cud. You may not eat camels, rabbits or rock badgers. They must be considered unclean. They chew the cud, but do not have divided hooves. Do not eat pigs. They must be considered unclean. They have divided hooves, but do not chew the cud. Do not eat any of these animals or even touch their dead bodies. You may eat any kind of fish that has fins and scales, but anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales may not be eaten. It must be considered unclean. You may eat any clean bird, but these are the kinds of birds you are not to eat: eagles, owls, hawks, falcons, buzzards, vultures, crows, ostriches, seagulls, etc. Do not eat any animals that die a natural death. Do not cook a young sheep or goat in its mothers’ milk.” This law of not cooking a sheep or goat in its mother’s milk has been interpreted as a prohibition of mixing meat and dairy foods. In an Orthodox Jewish household they maintain separate sets of cooking utensils, so they do not even cook meat foods and dairy foods in the same pot or pan. Jews may not eat shell fish, since they do not have fins and scales. Again, these laws are based on the sanitary habits of the animals. Many of the animals they are forbidden from eating are scavengers. The laws not only direct what types of food the may or may not eat, but the way in which the food is prepared. g. Other. Jewish people value the 10 commandments. They believe the Golden Rule is strengthened through customs and observances. Anti-Semitism. According to Webster, Anti-Semitism is defined as discrimination or prejudice against Jews; hostility towards Jews. Unfortunately, anti-Semitism, like other forms of discrimination is still present in society. The Jewish response to anti-Semitism and its strategy to change others are acculturation/assimilation (assimilated and not to be different). To eliminate discrimination in the work place, many have become lawyers and doctors. They feared others and relied on themselves for mutual aid and help. One of the major turning points in combating anti-Semitism was during the Second Vatican Council in 1965 with Pope John Paul XXIII. Up until this time there was a common held belief that the Jewish people were held responsible for the death of Jesus Christ. During this council the Catholic church condemned anti-Semitism and the Pope announced that the Catholic church could not blame people for incidents that happened 2000 years ago and there needed to be more acceptance and better working relationships with the Jewish people. Since both the Christian and Jewish religions have the same source of their faith, the Catholic Church stressed looking more at the similarities in the two religions. Jewish communities continue the fight against anti-Semitism. They have concerns about the fate of Israel and U.S. foreign policy towards Israel. Many feel that what goes on in Israel will impact the American Jews. There is also concern about the treatment of Jews in repressive countries. Many Jewish-American feel there is a threat to cultural survival of Judaism. This is due to the low Jewish population growth, assimilation into other cultures, and intermarriage. While intermarriage is not prohibited, it is a concern. CONTRIBUTIONS: (Listed below are just a few contributions that notable Jewish-Americans have achieved in our military and country. We highly encourage you to enhance your awareness and unit training by conducting additional research into the achievements and contributions of Jewish-Americans). 1. Admiral Hyman Rickover, Father of the U.S. Navy nuclear submarine program. 2. Jonas Salk, Epidemiologist who developed a vaccine against polio. 3. Albert Einstein, Physicist who changed our perception of the universe with his development of the theory of relatively and won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1922. 4. Jacob Frankel, the first Jewish chaplain, was appointed by Presidential order on September 10, 1862 5. Arthur Goldberg, U.S Supreme Court Justice RESOURCES: United States Holocaust Memorial http://www.ushmm.org/ Jewish Community Center http://www.jcca.org/index.lasso American Jewish Committee http://www.ajc.org/ American Jewish Historical Society http://www.ajhs.org/ CLOSING: This reading assignment discussed the struggles and contributions made by Jewish-Americans, and their many similarities between other cultures. America was developed and built by people of different nationalities and backgrounds, many have made, and continue to make major contributions to our society and military, Jewish Americans are one such group. Jewish Americans have made a difference in the history of this country. They leave a proud heritage for future Asian American leaders of the 21st century to emulate. READ: As part of your responsibility as an EOL you must continue the training of Soldiers and leaders on overcoming the negative stereotypes of Jewish Americans. As leaders, it is your responsibility to create and maintain the kind of organization where all can contribute their best without suffering discrimination and sexual harassment, which is what equal opportunity is about. It is also the right thing to do, morally and legally. 1 Smith, Brent L., Terrorism in America: Pipe Bombs and Pipe Dreams (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, January 1994), 181. http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=boadd2Ecug8C&oi=fnd&pg=RA1-PR11&sig=cPQM2hehaqRe3Nma5jxwZT-odtQ&dq=a+listing+of+extremist+groups+in+America#PPP1,M1 or http://www.splcenter.org/intel/map/hate.jsp or http://www.splcenter.org/intel/map/hate.jsp?T=33&m=5 Download 2.88 Mb. Share with your friends:
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